Austin defeats Herron at first playoff hole

Woody Austin birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against fellow American Tim Herron to win the $4.2 million Buick Championship on Sunday.

Both players returned four-under-par 66s in the final round to finish with 10-under totals of 270. Zach Johnson, Tom Pernice Jr and 54-hole leader Fred Funk were tied for third, one stroke behind at the TPC at River Highlands.

Former U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin, Jason Bohn and Matt Gogel were another shot back in joint sixth place.

The round of the day belonged to former U.S. PGA champion Jeff Sluman, who reeled off nine birdies and one bogey for a 62, his lowest score of the season by three strokes.

Sluman finished in a tie for ninth place on 273 with Kevin Sutherland, Todd Fischer and Tom Byrum.

Austin, 40, found the fairway at the par-four 18th, the first hole of the playoff, but Herron was in deep rough to the left.

Herron, 34, hit his approach to the front of the green and needed two putts to get down while Austin struck his second to within eight feet of the cup and rolled in the putt to clinch his first victory since the 1995 Buick Open.

The win was worth $756,000 to Austin, who told reporters he had been struggling with his game, particularly with the mental side.

"I'm a little bit of a pessimistic person, I guess, when it comes to my golf game," he said. "I feel like deep down I've never showed the true talent I have.

"I feel like I'm one of the best players out here and I've never proven that or showed it, so I've been pretty down for a while as far as that goes.

"I feel like I'm starting to be vindicated again. I feel like if I can get my confidence back, I can show that I haven't shown you anything yet."

Herron, who has been battling the multi-system disorder Lyme disease since July, said his drive at the playoff hole had too much hook on it.

"I just overhooked it," he said. "I knew I had to favour the left, if I hit it in the right rough I had no play at that pin."

Austin appeared to have locked up the title with a scrambling par four at the 17th while Herron made a double bogey.

With a two-shot lead on the 72nd hole, Austin struck a good drive but his ball came to rest in a deep divot. His second went over the green and he eventually carded a bogey five.

Herron wiped out the deficit by drilling a 12-footer for birdie into the centre of the cup.

Without a victory since the 1999 Colonial Invitational, Herron said he was disappointed to let his opportunity slip away.

"I have the potential," he said. "I haven't broken out in a while. This was kind of my chance...but health is probably the most important thing right now for me, just trying to get healthy.

"I kept saying that to myself, 'you're lucky to be playing golf, try to enjoy it'."

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