Johnson Wins Fourth Title At Texas Open
POSTED: 3:06 pm HST October 12,
2008
San Antonio, TX -- (Sports Network) - Zach Johnson finally won a PGA Tour event outside the state of Georgia.His first three tour wins came at The Masters and at the AT&T Classic (2004 & 2007). Johnson closed with a six-under 64 on Sunday to win the Texas Open by two shots over three players. He ended the event at 19-under-par 261. "This win was...I haven't had the best of years," said a nearly speechless Johnson, who earned $810,000 for the win. "This one I'm dedicating to everybody back in Iowa. My community back home has gone through a lot this year (with the bad flooding) and this one's for everybody back there that has given me their unconditional support." Charlie Wi fired a nine-under 61 to jump into a share of second at minus-17. He was joined there by Mark Wilson (63) and Tim Wilkinson (64). Jeff Overton took fifth at 15-under-par 265 after a final-round 65. Johnson traded a birdie for a bogey from the first. He started his charge up the leaderboard with a birdie on the par-three sixth at LaCantera Golf Club. He came right back with a four-foot birdie putt on the seventh and then birdied the eighth to cap a run of three straight birdies. Johnson knocked a nine-iron to within inches of the cup at the 10th and he kicked that in for birdie. That gave him a share of the lead at 17-under. The former Masters champ two-putted for birdie at the 14th gain the lead. Johnson parred three straight and still led by one heading to the 18th. Johnson closed in style as he knocked his second shot to five feet at the last. He rolled that putt in to win by two. "It's very gratifying. Anytime you can get back to Maui, that's fantastic," said Johnson, who gets into the winners only 2009 Mercedes Benz Championship with the victory. "I haven't been very encouraged this year. "I have not put things together this year. I putted pretty well this week though. A lot of work over the last six weeks has paid off." Wi carded four birdies on the front nine to soar up the leaderboard. Around the turn, he poured in five birdies in a six-hole span from the 11th to move to 17-under. Wi parred the final two, including a two-putt par from 19 feet at the last. Wilson was just three-under on the front nine, but ran in three straight birdies from the 10th to climb to 16-under. After a bogey on 13 stopped his birdie streak, Wilson birdied 15 and 16 to gain a share of second. "Chris Stroud, who I was playing with, mentioned as we walked off the 14th green that Wi had posted 17-under, so I kind of thought that might be the number," Wilson said. "I'm happy with the way I played this week. I found some better ball-striking as the week went along." Wilkinson, who was looking for his first tour win, made four birdies in his first 13 to holes to get to 15-under. At the par-five 14th, Wilkinson made eagle to jump into a share of the lead. However, he could only par the final four holes to end at minus-17. "I had a couple putts coming in that were up and over ridges and down grain, so I may have gotten a little conservative," Wilkinson admitted. "I wanted to cozy them up near the hole." Stephen Ames (62) and Stroud (68) shared sixth at 13-under-par 267. Third- round leader Rory Sabbatini stumbled to a two-over 72 to end in a tie for eighth at minus-12. He was joined there by Tim Herron (69) and Pat Perez (65). Last year's winner, Justin Leonard, was one shot back at 11-under 269.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.








