Zach Johnson holds on to claim maiden title

PGA Tour rookie Zach Johnson parred the 18th hole on Sunday to win the BellSouth Classic by one stroke from Australian Mark Hensby.

Johnson shot an even-par 72 at the TPC at Sugarloaf for a 275 total in winning his first tour title.

Hensby, playing two groups ahead of Johnson, just missed an eagle putt at the par-five 18th that would have tied him with Johnson and had to settle instead for a five-under-par 67.

Australia's Scott Hend, who made his first cut on the PGA Tour on Friday, finished alone in third on 277.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington was in fourth place another stroke back with Peter Lonard of Australia on 280.

Twice U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen and defending BellSouth champion Ben Crane tied for sixth on 281.

Johnson and Harrington, playing in the final pairing, each had roller-coaster rounds.

Johnson birdied the first hole, then had a double bogey and three more birdies on the front nine. He played the 10th through the 15th holes in two-over with four bogeys and two birdies.

Despite his poor run on the back nine, Johnson said he tried to remain calm.

"I tried to keep my walking pace at a good rhythm, everything just kind of even keel," Johnson said.

"I really focused hard on that. That definitely helped, especially on the last three holes.

"Overall, I thought I was fairly calm and fairly patient."

Harrington, who trailed by three when the round began, was wildly erratic on the front nine, with one eagle, two birdies, two bogeys and two double bogeys.

"I just got four clubs wrong straight off the bat," Harrington said.

"Probably after the bad start I got over-aggressive on the third (hole), and I over-clubbed. It was very windy and very hard to judge. It was tough conditions."

At one point during the round he fell eight shots behind Johnson but when the leader faltered early on the back nine, Harrington found his form, making birdies at the 11th, 12th and 13th.

When Johnson bogeyed the 15th to Harrington's par, the lead shrank to only two shots.

However, Harrington's charge abruptly ended when he bogeyed the par-three 16th before the world number eight went on to par the final two holes.

Johnson still had to hole a four-foot par putt at the 18th to seal the win.

"It feels awesome," Johnson said. "I just want to keep doing it, stay competitive. I just feel very blessed and fortunate.

"In the end, I'm just -- I'm a competitor. I want to win. It doesn't matter what it is."

Hensby provided drama at the 18th when his five-iron approach barely cleared the pond in front and right of the green. His eagle bid to tie slipped past the hole by a foot.

"The wind today was very difficult," Hensby said. "The way I finished was great."

With the birdie at the home hole, Hensby secured his best finish on the PGA Tour, beating his tie for third earlier this season in the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

Hensby's winnings of $486,000 ran his total for the season to $989,106 and secured his playing status on tour for next season.

"My goal is obviously changing every week," Hensby said.

"Obviously my main goal out here this year was to keep my card. And then I got to $500,000 a few weeks ago, and now my goal is to win.

"It's obviously still that. Just keep playing well, I guess and try and keep finishing in position to have a chance to win. Maybe one day I will."

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