Strong finish clinches title for Roberts

Loren Roberts sank four birdies on his last six holes Sunday to finish at 19-under 261 and win the Texas Open.

It was Roberts' eighth career win on the PGA Tour, and his first since 2000. He took home the top prize of $630,000.

Roberts, who started the day in the lead, shot a bogey-free 65 Sunday to finish three strokes ahead of Fred Couples, Fred Funk and Garrett Willis.

Willis, who shot a final-round 66, was even for most of the front nine. Couples and Funk, who both shot 64 Sunday, quickly made up ground on Roberts by shooting 4-under 31 on the front nine at the par-70 La Cantera Golf Club course, north of San Antonio.

While Roberts steadily made pars early on the back nine, Couples and Funk piled up the birdies.

Funk birdied Nos. 11, 12 and 13 to take the lead at 17-under, and Couples caught up by making four straight birdies starting on the 142-yard 13th.

But both players slipped up and fell back.

For Funk, who posted his fourth runner-up finish of the year, the mistake came on the 380-yard, par-4 16th. On the green in regulation, he left a 45-foot putt about 5 feet short, and then he missed for his only bogey of the day.

Couple's miscue came on the 142-yard 17th. Starting the hole at 17-under, he landed his drive in the rough behind the green, left his pitch well short and then missed a 20-foot par putt.

Around the same time that his opponents faltered, Roberts started gaining momentum.

After four straight pars, he birdied the 13th and the 527-yard, par-5 14th to get to 17-under. After a par on No. 15, he hit his second shot 12 feet from the pin for a birdie on the 16th and then made a 13-footer for birdie on the 17th.

Willis, playing one group ahead of Roberts, ended his round with a pair of birdies to catch up to Funk and Couples.

Five players - Shaun Micheel, Kenneth Staton, J.L. Lewis, Joel Edwards and Pat Perez - finished at 14-under.

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