Mark Calcavecchia claims first win for four years

Mark Calcavecchia survived a shaky finish to post a one-shot victory over fellow Americans Ben Crane and Ryan Moore at the Canadian Open on Sunday, his first title in four years.

Calcavecchia, who held a four-shot cushion after six holes at the Shaughnessy Golf Club, watched his advantage shrink on the back nine with a pair of bogeys, limping home with a one-over 71.

Despite carding just a single birdie over his final two rounds, the 1989 British Open champion did just enough to hold on and collect his 12th career title with a winning total of five-under 275.

"One birdie on the weekend and I win the tournament," laughed Calcavecchia, who last tasted victory at the 2001 Phoenix Open. "I bet that's never happened.

"A golf course like this, you can play one great round, maybe two but you're sure as hell not going to beat it four days in a row.

"I really never honestly thought I would win again, let alone on a golf course like this.

"I have my moments when I'm pretty good...but I have a lot of self doubt and a lot of demons that are floating around inside my head.

"It happens to a lot of guys, the things we think about out there pretty much freak you out.

"Somebody is going to have to find out when the last time somebody won a tournament making one birdie on a weekend.

"That may have never happened before in the history of golf."

Moore, winner of the 2004 U.S. Amateur title who only turned professional after the U.S. Open in July, had a final round even-par 70 to post the best result in his young career, joining Crane in second place at four-under 276.

Crane, who began the day six shots off the pace, mounted a final-day charge mixing six birdies with a pair of bogeys for a four-under 66 to get within one of Calcavecchia.

The 45-year-old American, however, would not falter.

Needing a par on the last to clinch the win, Calcavecchia left his approach seven feet from the hole then calmly two-putted for the win.

"I've always been an emotional player, I'm an emotional guy," said Calcavecchia, the oldest winner in the 96-year history of the event. "I watched a replay of the Titanic the other day and was bawling at the end of the movie.

"That's just my nature.

"When things go good for me I'm streaky and I'm very good. And when they go bad for me I lose it.

"That's just how I am."

Defending champion Vijay Singh started the day in the chase just three shots off the lead but never mounted a charge, finishing at two-over 72. He ended in a tie for seventh at one-under 279 with South Africa's Trevor Immelman (70) and Canada's Stephen Ames (72).

"It played a lot tougher today," said Singh, who returned to action at the Canadian Open after sitting out the previous week with a back injury.

"It was more like a U.S. Open course, where it gets dry on the weekend and today the greens were very firm.

"But this is still the best course we play on."

Jesper Parnevik, who started the day one shot off the lead alongside Craig Barlow, fired a final round 73 and finished alone in fourth at three-under 277.

Barlow slumped to seven-over 77 to fall back into a tie for 14th at 282.

275 Mark Calcavecchia 65 67 72 71

276 Ryan Moore 69 70 67 70, Ben Crane 74 66 70 66

277 Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 66 72 67 72

278 Joey Sindelar 70 71 69 68, Jerry Kelly 72 66 69 71

279 Stephen Ames (Can) 73 70 64 72, Vijay Singh (Fij) 73 66 68 72, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 71 68 70 70

280 Arjun Atwal (Ind) 72 67 73 68

281 John Huston 69 72 70 70, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 68 70 74 69, Bob Heintz 68 70 70 73

282 Ted Purdy 67 72 72 71, Briny Baird 70 72 68 72, Tom Pernice Jnr. 68 72 71 71, Craig Barlow 70 70 65 77, Brian Davis (Eng) 70 71 66 75, Carlos Franco (Par) 68 70 70 74, Matt Kuchar 72 67 72 71

283 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 73 68 69 73, Michael Harris 72 70 67 74, Michael Allen 68 73 76 66

284 Billy Andrade 70 73 68 73, Hunter Mahan 71 70 72 71, Peter Tomasulo 73 70 70 71, Scott Dunlap 67 77 70 70

285 Franklin Langham 72 70 69 74, Joey Snyder III 71 69 71 74, Chris DiMarco 70 73 68 74, Lucas Glover 65 72 74 74, Darron Stiles 71 71 71 72, Harrison Frazar 74 68 74 69, Tommy Armour III 70 71 70 74

286 Craig Bowden 76 68 73 69, Jonathan Byrd 68 76 71 71, Kent Jones 72 69 75 70, Jeff Hart 69 72 71 74, Kevin Na (Kor) 70 72 67 77

287 Jay Delsing 70 72 74 71, James H McLean 71 72 69 75, Brent Geiberger 68 71 75 73, Bob Estes 73 70 71 73, Loren Roberts 70 70 75 72, Mario Tiziani 73 69 70 75, Scott Gutschewski 70 74 70 73, Larry Mize 70 71 74 72

288 Brandt Jobe 67 73 75 73, John Rollins 68 75 72 73, Justin Rose (Eng) 74 66 74 74, Craig Stadler 70 72 71 75, Neal Lancaster 73 70 74 71

289 Brian Bateman 71 72 71 75, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 69 71 73 76, Scott McCarron 68 72 71 78

290 Robert Gamez 73 71 71 75, Michael Long (Nzl) 74 69 75 72, Notah Begay III 71 73 71 75, Steve Collins (Aus) 73 69 70 78

291 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 71 73 69 78, Glen Day 75 69 76 71, Alex Cejka (Ger) 74 69 74 74, Steve Allan (Aus) 73 68 78 72, Andrew Magee 73 71 74 73

292 Pat Perez 71 73 73 75, Christopher Anderson 74 69 75 74, Scott Hend (Aus) 69 74 74 75, Fred Funk 72 72 73 75

294 Paul Gow (Aus) 70 71 77 76

296 Greg Owen (Eng) 73 71 77 75

297 Mark O'Meara 75 69 79 74

298 Jim Carter 69 74 75 80

300 J.P. Hayes 68 72 78 82

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