KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii - John Jacobs takes nothing for granted. He showed that in the final round of the MasterCard Championship today when he shot a 2-under-par 70 for a three-stroke victory over Raymond Floyd and Jim Colbert.

"I had to protect the lead on every hole,'' Jacobs said in winning the $185,000 first prize with his 13-under 203. "I played so safe the last few holes, it was embarrassing.

"To win and to beat this field, it's pretty special. I had never been in this position against this calibre of guys before,'' he said.

And to turn back his challengers, Jacobs got a lot of help from the man closest to him, playing partner Floyd.

"We're good friends,'' Jacobs said. "He gave me encouragement all day long.''

Floyd, meanwhile, was hampered by a balky putter.

He shot a 2-under 70 to finish at 206, but said, "I didn't get the job done on the greens. The 3 1/2 hours later start made the greens slower. I was on line on several putts, but missed them short.

"I had to adjust, but I don't think that entered my mind,'' he said.

Failure to make putts meant no one could make a run at Jacobs.

"Nobody made a run t him so he got comfortable,'' Floyd said. "But it's a tribute to him. It's hard to hold the lead, but he handled it well.''

Jacobs, who qualified for the winners-only tournament by taking last year's Nation-wide Championship, had a mark-filled front 9 at the 7,053-yard Hualalai Resort Golf Club with four birdies and three bogeys. But his pursuers couldn't get any closer than four strokes until the final hole.

Colbert's 67 helped him pick up four strokes on the final nine holes to finish tied with Floyd for second. Colbert nearly finished a solo second when his eagle effort the final hole hit the flagstick and bounced a couple of feet away for an easy birdie.

Bob Dickson and Dana Quigley shot 3-under 69s to finish at 207.

Defending champion Gil Morgan made a nice comeback, finishing with a 66 for a 208 and a share of sixth place with Brian Barnes. He closed with a 67.

J.C. Snead and Isao Aoki wound up at 209 with Gary Player another stroke behind. Snead and Aoki had closing 70s, and Player shot a 72.

Hale Irwin, who dominated the Senior Tour the past two years, finished with a 71 and a 214 for the 54 holes.

With his win, Jacobs becomes the 14th different winner of the MasterCard Championship and is the first to go wire-to-wire since Peter Thomson in 1985.