Justin Leonard clinches title with closing 67

Justin Leonard fired a closing five-under-par 67 to win the $4.7 million Bob Hope Classic at La Quinta, California on Sunday, ending a two-year title drought with a three-stroke victory over Joe Ogilvie and Tim Clark.

Without a PGA Tour trophy since the 2003 Honda Classic, former British Open champion Leonard carded a 28-under total of 332 in the 90-hole pro-am event to land his ninth career title.

Ogilvie, who had topped the leaderboard since the opening round and began the day with a two-shot advantage as he chased his first win in 151 career starts, faltered down the stretch, returning a one-over 73 for 335.

Clark, who took 40 hours to get to the tournament after winning in his native South Africa last week, made his long trip pay off when he posted a three-under 69 to grab a share of second place.

Loren Roberts and Australia's Peter Lonard, who had six birdies, six bogeys and six pars in an even-par final round, were tied for fourth on 24-under 336.

"It does feel good," said Leonard, the 1997 British Open champion. "I enjoyed today, I enjoyed the last few holes.

"To play like this my second week out (this year) feels good. I hope this is the beginning of a good stretch of golf for me.

"I felt like the last year and a half I've probably had to go through some things to get to where I am now, sometimes you have to take two steps back to take a step forward. Hopefully this win, this week, will propel me on."

Leonard, who began the day three shots adrift of Ogilvie, quickly erased the deficit with birdies on three of his first four holes on the PGA West course.

But it was on the back nine that he seized control, birdying the 10th to open up a four-shot cushion as Ogilvie double bogeyed after finding water.

Ogilvie, 30, was shaky from the outset as he started bogey, par, bogey.

It was the second time he had been denied a title after going into the final round as leader, having lost in a playoff to world number one Vijay Singh in New Orleans last year.

"Justin put on a clinic straight from the first hole," said Ogilvie. "I didn't get off to a good start with bogeys on one and three but just watching Justin you can learn how to win.

"He didn't do anything wrong, he was very patient."

Phil Mickelson, who won this event in 2002 and 2004, looked set to contend for his third Bob Hope title when he went three-under for the round through the front nine.

But the U.S. Masters champion's victory hopes disappeared when he bogeyed the 12th and double bogeyed the 13th. He eventually finished with a 71 for 339.

"When I birdied 11, I thought I would make a good run," said Mickelson. "But it just didn't happen, I made a couple of mistakes coming in."

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