Robert Gamez wins again after 15 year wait

Robert Gamez said he wanted to be in the last group Sunday. He got his wish and made the most of it.

En route to his first win since his 1990 rookie campaign, Gamez birdied his first three holes and never looked back, posting a three-shot victory at the $3.5 million Valero Texas Open.

It had been 15 1/2 years since Gamez won the Bay Hill Invitational in 1990, but he did not play the Resort Course at LaCantera Golf Club like someone desperate for a win. He carded six birdies without a bogey on his way to a 6-under-par 64 and winning total of 18-under 262.

The span between Gamez's victories is a PGA Tour record.

"I was ready for today and started really quick," Gamez said. "I hit it good all day and it's a great feeling."

Gamez, who broke a winless drought of 394 events, started the day a shot off the lead but carded birdies on his first three holes to take control. He added birdies on 11, 13 and 14.

After a tap-in par at 18, he celebrated earning $630,000 and a two-year exemption.

"It's been a long time coming," Gamez said. "I've been close a lot over that stretch of time. To come all the way back and be a champion again, I'm just tickled to death."

Gamez played almost flawless golf Sunday, hitting 16 of 18 greens, 15 of 16 fairways and recording seven one-putts without three-putting all day.

"My main goal was to start off quick and just hit fairways and greens and do what I've been doing," Gamez said. "That's what I've been doing all week. I felt like without the wind today, I could hit it really close and I did. I hit it close a lot and had a lot of birdie opportunities."

Olin Browne made a move up the leaderboard with a 6-under 64 to finish alone in second at 15-under 265. Mark Wilson (68) and Woody Austin (69) tied for third at 266.

"He came out his rookie year and dusted everybody off, bang-bang, and sometimes I think that can hurt a player," Browne said. "He's obviously immensely talented and he's playing like he knows how again. I couldn't be happier for anybody in this tournament than Robert."

Browne carded a birdie at the par-5 first, then birdied three of four holes to close out the front nine. He added birdies at 12 and 14 and signed for a bogey-free round that wasn't enough to reel in Gamez.

"Obviously you can't complain much shooting a 64 in the final round," Browne said. "but I sure wish I had made a couple more putts and at least made him stress a little more."

David Duval, once the No. 1 golfer in the world, made his first cut of the season and finished tied for 60th at 1-over after a final-round 74. Duval withdrew from his first event in January and had missed 16 consecutive cuts before this week.

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