Stewart Cink won the $6-million US PGA Travelers Championship on Sunday for his first tournament victory since 2004.

The highest-ranked player in the field at number five, Cink shot a three-under 67 on the final round to finish at 18-under 262.

"I knew it wasn't going to be easy," said Cink, who had been 1-for-9 when leading entering the final round. "I would have loved to have gone out there and shoot 62 and just slam the door on everybody. But I was prepared for that not happening.

"I think I got myself ready, got myself intense to the point where I could block out most distractions, and I played mostly mistake-free today."

Tommy Armour and defending champion Hunter Mahan tied for second on 263 after both shot 65.

Heath Slocum was one shot adrift in fourth with Fiji's Vijay Singh in fifth on 266. Cink's victory came 11 years after he won his first PGA Tour title in the same tournament, then known as the Greater Hartford Open.

Cink went into the final round with a two-shot lead, gave it up, then regained the advantage.

He shrugged off a brief delay caused by a threat of thunderstorms, posting four birdies and one bogey as he claimed the fifth title of his career.

Cink's only miscue came at the par-four fourth, but he picked up shots with birdies at six and nine to make the turn at one-under, with a one-shot lead over the field.

Cink birdied the par-five 13th before play was suspended, and when play resumed he nabbed his final birdie of the day at the par-four 15th, where he landed a wedge within three feet of the pin.

The 35-year-old, who was the Tour Rookie of the Year when he won here 11 years ago, parred his final three holes to claim his first victory since the 2004 WGC-NEC Invitational.

"I can't believe it was that long since the last one," said Cink, who entered with six top-10 finishes in 14 events this year. "I feel like I've played well enough along the way to have won a couple."

Mahan, defending a title for the first time in his career, birdied his final two holes to cap his 65 and claim his first top-finve finish since a tie for fifth at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship.

"I was excited to come here and defend my title," Mahan said. "I felt like I played well and gave myself a chance to win."

AFP