'Validation' for victorious Gay

Luke Donald and Paul Casey both went low on the final day of the Verizon Heritage on Sunday night but neither could prevent Brian Gay from breezing to victory at Harbour Town Golf Links.

The English duo both shot five-under-par rounds of 66 as the tournament reached a climax on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but it was too late to halt American Gay from picking up his second career US PGA Tour victory in record-breaking fashion.

Gay finished at a tournament record low 20 under par, one better than Loren Roberts in 1996, to win by 10 strokes, the largest margin of victory recorded at Harbour Town, eclipsing Davis Love III’s seven-shot win in 1998.

Yet he admitted he felt his second Tour success following last year’s win at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico was not as easily achieved as it had appeared.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Gay said. “It’s never as easy as it looks. It’s just a little bit of validation, coming back this year and winning again.”

With the win, Gay, who played his first full season on the PGA Tour in 1999, also lined up a long-awaited Masters debut at Augusta National next year, although he said that was not on his mind as played the final round.

“I’ve had a lot of heartache not getting in that tournament, winning (the Mayakoba), not getting in, and missing by one spot on the money list two times.

“I just figured, who cares? What’s going to happen is going to happen, just go play golf.”

Donald finished in tie for second place with American Briny Baird having started the day in a tie for 10th. Baird shot a closing 68 but even Donald’s eight-birdie, three-bogey 66 could not stop Gay increasing his advantage.

The American shot a final-round 64, the lowest of the day, blemished by a single bogey that was only his second of the tournament.

Donald and Baird finished at 10 under while two-time US Open champion Lee Janzen carded a level-par 71, missing out on a share of second and his best finish since the 2003 Memorial Tournament when he bogeyed the last to fall to nine under.

That put him into a tie for fourth with former Open winner Todd Hamilton, who closed with a 70.

Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal finished in a tie for sixth at eight under with Tim Wilkinson of Australia following a final-round 67.

Rory Sabbatini of South Africa carded 66 to claim a share of eighth place with Americans Matt Weibring and Tim Petrovic at seven under.

Shell Houston Open winner Casey’s 66 pushed him into a tie for 11th with Woody Austin at six under while Germany’s Alex Cejka was in an eight-man group at five under.

Gay began his round at 13 under, three shots clear of second-placed Wilkinson and a further stroke ahead of Janzen with Hamilton five shots in arrears at eight under.

Any ideas that they might quickly catch Gay early were dealt a blow when the leader birdied the par-four first and then eagled the par-five second to move to 16 under and a six-stroke lead after Wilkinson parred the same holes.

That lead became seven when the Australian bogeyed the par-four third and there was no looking back for Gay, although he said he had not allowed himself to lose focus.

“I was still nervous. It calmed me down a little bit, but it didn’t change anything,” he said of his strong start.

“There were so many holes left I knew I had to stay focused and keep hitting good, solid shots.”

Five more birdies followed with even his only bogey coming at the par-four 12th failing to halt the victory procession.

Greg Owen of England finished at one under par alongside Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden with Ernie Els of South Africa ending the week at level par.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy finished at two over par for the tournament after closing with a level-par 71, an eighth consecutive round of 70 or above.