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GOLF ROUNDUP : Twelve Years Later, Roberts Finally Wins a Tournament

From Associated Press

In his 13th year on the PGA Tour, Loren Roberts sat in the clubhouse Sunday while the rest of the field of the Nestle Invitational lifted a burden from his back.

Roberts shot a five-under-par 67 Sunday for a four-round total of 13-under 275 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla., and won after Fuzzy Zoeller and Vijay Singh faltered on the final round.

The victory was worth $216,000 and much more. At day’s end, Roberts was no longer the golfer who had won the most money on the tour without winning a tournament.

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“It means getting that big onus off my back,” he said. “I’ve been out here 12 years and made a lot of money. But that doesn’t cut it out here. You’re just a day laborer until you win.”

Zoeller (69) and and Singh (71) shared second at 276 with Nick Price, a winner last week in the Honda Classic. Price (70) had a chance to tie Roberts, but missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Roberts, 38, of Memphis, Tenn., was in the clubhouse while first Zoeller and then Singh blew a lead over the last two holes.

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Zoeller self-destructed, pushing a three-iron shot into the gallery and off the bald head of a spectator and into the water on the par-three 17th hole.

“It had ugly written all over it,” Zoeller said.

Singh bogeyed the 17th and 18th holes to hand the title to Roberts.

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Laura Davies shot an error-free three-under-par 70 to win the Standard Register Ping tournament at Phoenix with a 15-under-par 277.

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