Mon Apr 21 13:22:02 2008

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Damron beats Owen in a playoff

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Athens, GA (Sports Network) - Robert Damron defeated Greg Owen with a birdie at the first playoff hole Sunday to win the Athens Regional Foundation Classic.

Damron, a former PGA Tour winner, claimed his first Nationwide Tour victory with a 14-foot birdie putt from the back of the 18th green. He had fired a six-under 66 in regulation.

"It sounds bad to say that I hit it terribly, but I really did," Damron said of the winning putt.

Owen closed with a one-under 71 in the final round, making birdie at the last two holes in regulation to join Damron at 11-under 277 and force the playoff.

A former winner on the European Tour and an overnight co-leader, Owen missed a 12-foot birdie putt with a chance to extend the playoff.

The Englishman was also seeking his first Nationwide Tour win, but a double- bogey on the third hole Sunday and two more bogeys the rest of the way sidetracked him.

Still, he recovered with birdies on three of the last six holes.

"I knew with four holes to go that 11-under was in," said Owen. "I knew what I had to do. I knew I had to give myself three good chances."

Damron gave himself plenty of good chances, making six birdies in a flawless final round to match the lowest score of the day and move up from an 11th- place tie overnight.

"I flirted with trouble all week long but I came out smelling like a rose," said Damron, who collected $94,500 for the win. "A hot putter makes up for a lot of mistakes."

Casey Wittenberg carded a five-under 67 and finished in third place at 10- under 278, one shot out of a playoff. Roger Tambellini (67) and Vance Veazey (68) tied for fourth place at nine-under 279.

Brendon Todd, who was tied for the third-round lead with Owen, made a double- bogey and seven bogeys and stumbled to an eight-over 80 in the final round. He tied for 25th place at two-under 286, nine shots off the lead.