Weekley defends title on Hilton Head

MARY ANN CHASTAIN/AP

Boo Weekley shot even-par 71 on Sunday to win the Heritage by three shots over Anthony Kim and Aaron Baddeley.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND — Defending champion Boo Weekley's golf swing Sunday was a lot like his grammar — rough around the edges but good enough to get the job done in the Heritage golf tournament at Harbour Town Golf Links.

The colorful cutup from the Florida Panhandle didn't have his best game, but his even-par 71 was easily enough to earn Weekley his second Heritage plaid jacket, the new Heritage trophy, a bronze statue of the tournament's symbol that the staff fondly refers to as Willy, and $990,000.

Weekley finished the tournament at 15-under-par 269, three shots better than 2006 champion Aaron Baddeley and 22-year-old Anthony Kim. Baddeley made up two shots on Weekley on Sunday with his 69, while Kim, who went into the final round trailing Weekley by three shots, matched par-71.

Jim Furyk also made a run with a final-round 69 and finished fourth at 274, while Cliff Kresge claimed fourth with a 71-275. Tying for seventh at 276 were former Clemson star Lucas Glover, two-time Heritage champion Stewart Cink,

Matt Kuchar, Camilo Villegas and Michael Letzig.

When Weekley finished, he gave a fist-pump as the crowd serenaded him with a raucous chorus of loving "Boos." Even though his streak of rounds in the 60s ended at seven, Weekley became the third player to repeat as the Heritage champion, joining Payne Stewart (1989-90) and five-time Heritage winner Davis Love III (1991-92).

When Weekley won his first PGA Tour title 52 weeks ago, he did so by chipping in twice for pars on the final two holes to beat Ernie Els. Sunday, he could point to two more hole-outs from off the green as crucial to his title defense.

The first came on the par-4 10th hole, where his approach came up short and he holed a lob wedge from about 20 yards to keep a five-shot lead. Four holes later, on the par-3 14th, his tee shot missed the green safely left, away from the water, and he rolled in a 30-footer to match Kim's birdie and keep a four-shot cushion.

Even with the big lead, the final four holes were an adventure. After a birdie on the par-5 15th, Weekley sent his approach shot on 16 to the back of the green and three-putted for bogey, shrinking his lead to four. Weekley two-putted for par on 17, then finished with a bogey on 18 after hitting his approach into the front greenside bunker.

"It was ugly," Weekley said of the day. "I struggled with the driver, high and right. I actually hit a couple of good iron shots, but a lot of them were everywhere. The putter more or less kept me in the game, where at least I was able to shoot even par."

Weekley said the chip-in on 10 "kinda got me pumped up," but he reverted to the same high and right tee shot on 11. Rules officials had just told Weekley and Kim they needed to speed up, and he said that was "aggravating."

"This feels more like an achievement now. Not saying I did it back to back, but I did it in a way I knew I could," he said. "I struggled at the beginning of the week because I had some irons that had some bad issues. Cleveland (his equipment company) kind of helped me out and we rebuilt a new set of irons...It got me back to where I needed to be.

"This win means just as much to me as the first one did."

Weekley said he takes a lot from this victory, that he learned a player doesn't always have to have his 'A' game to win.

"I was out there just playing golf, trying to stay focused, trying to stay in my moment," he said. "I figured if I would go out and play steady golf and let the rest take care of itself, if it's my time, it's my time."

Kim, at age 22 trying to become the youngest Heritage winner and still seeking his first PGA Tour title, had trouble getting untracked and double-bogeyed the short, par-4 ninth. Still, he said he felt like he could catch Weekley on the back nine.

"I didn't think it was over until No. 16, when I missed that 12-footer (for birdie)," Kim said. "I was just grinding away and I knew anything could happen on this golf course.

"Boo played great. He hung in there. He didn't have his best game today. But he got it up and down when he needed to and hit the right shots when he needed to.

"I learned a lot. Boo pretty much taught me face to face what I've got to do to win a golf tournament."

Which means being both lucky and good, just like Weekley was this week.