By The Associated Press
Robert Gamez figured he needed a fast start in the final round of the Texas Open to end the longest stretch between victories in PGA Tour history.
He got the start and the result he was looking for.
Gamez opened with three birdies and added three more on the back nine Sunday, closing with a 6-under 64 for a three-stroke victory and his first win on tour in 15 1/2 years.
“It has been a long time, a long time coming,” Gamez said. “I knew it would happen. I just didn’t know when.”
The 37-year-old Gamez had gone 394 events without winning, dating to the 1990 Bay Hill Invitational, a stretch of 15 years, 6 months. He recently surpassed Butch Baird’s record of 15 years, 5 months and 10 days between wins. Ed Fiori went 409 events without winning.
Gamez reached 18-under 262 at LaCantera Golf Club’s Resort Course in San Antonio. Olin Browne, a winner two weeks ago at the Deutsche Bank Championship, also shot a 64 and finished at 15-under. Mark Wilson (68) and third-round leader Woody Austin (69) tied for third at 14 under. J.J. Henry (68) and Bob Heintz (68) shared fifth at 13-under.
The victory was worth $630,000 for Gamez, who won the Tucson Open and Nestle Invitational in 1990 and has eight second-place finishes since. In 1994, he won the Casio World Open in Japan, not an official PGA Tour event.
Denver resident David Duval, the former top-ranked player who made his first cut this year, had a closing 4-over 74 and tied for 60th, 19 shots out of the lead. He had missed 18 straight cuts.
European PGA: Colin Montgomerie’s Britain and Ireland team registered the biggest win in the Seve Cup, defeating Continental Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 in Billingham, England.
Despite losing his opening singles 2 and 1 to rival captain Jose Maria Olazabal, Montgomerie’s team won the singles 7-3 after losing the opening day fourballs 4-1.
