Sun Apr 27 17:24:31 2008

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Chalmers wins Henrico County Open playoff

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Glen Allen, VA (Sports Network) - Greg Chalmers three-putted for bogey on the second playoff hole Sunday, but it was enough to win the Henrico County Open.

Chalmers closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 14-under-par 274. He was joined in the playoff by Henrik Bjornstad, who also closed with a 70.

Matt Hansen was near the top of the leaderboard for most of the round, but he bogeyed 16 and double-bogeyed 18 to end two back at 12-under-par 276. He was part of a six-way tie for fourth.

Neal Lancaster posted a 71 to end alone in third at minus-13.

On the first playoff hole, Bjornstad found the front right fringe with his second to the par-five 18th. His eagle effort came up about seven feet short.

Chalmers laid up from the right rough, then dropped his third 10 feet from the hole. Chalmers' birdie putt lipped out and he tapped in for par. Bjornstad's birdie try came up short.

He tapped in for par and it was off to the par-three ninth at The Dominion Club for the second playoff hole.

Bjornstad, hitting first, found the water left of the putting surface. Chalmers' tee ball landed more than 80 feet right of the pin. Chalmers' birdie bid came up 10 feet short and Bjornstad chipped his third nine feet past the cup.

Chalmers' par effort came up short and he tapped in for bogey. That was just the second three-putt of the week for Chalmers. Bjornstad, who was looking for his first tour win, missed his bogey putt right of the hole and the victory was Chalmers'.

"It's just a lot of hard work I've put in over the last year and a half with my coach," said Chalmers of how he got here. "This is a big step for me today. Even though I was a little messy there at the end, it's still very nice."

Bjornstad was the first in the clubhouse with his steady round. He posted 16 pars and two birdies, on four and 12, to get in first at 14-under.

Chalmers, who became the fifth Australian winner in eight events this year, ran off three straight birdies from the fifth to get to 15-under, where he trailed by one.

The Australian parred eight in a row from the eighth before he stumbled to a bogey on the 16th after missing the green to the left and hitting a poor chip.

He parred 17, then his birdie putt at 18 lipped out. If that birdie had fallen, Chalmers would have won in regulation. Instead, he and Bjornstad went to a playoff.

"I think the course played long this morning," admitted Chalmers, who earned $90,000 for the win. "It wasn't as easy as the first few days. I really played nicely the front nine, but I didn't play as solid on the back nine."

Hansen birdied the fifth and sixth to lead Chalmers by one. However, he faltered to a double-bogey at eight to fall one back at minus-14. Hansen reclaimed a piece of the lead with a birdie at 12.

After Chalmers dropped to 14-under with his late bogey, Hansen missed the green right at 16 and he couldn't save par. He was tied with Bjornstad and Chalmers at 14-under.

Hansen thought he hit a good second shot to the par-five 18th, but he came up short in the water. He walked off with a double-bogey that left him at minus-12.

Hansen shared fourth with first- and second-round leader Bubba Dickerson, Roger Tambellini, Arjun Atwal, Jeff Klauk and Bryan DeCorso.