FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Stephen Ames was munching on sliders and drinking a few beers at his coach's house Saturday night when he realized that he needed all the help he could get to make his final round of the year a special one.
So at the place where the entrance gates declare "Where Dreams Come True," Ames figured he should give it a shot.
"I wished for 64," Ames said, "and I got that 64."
Ames won his second title in three years at the Children's Miracle Network Classic on Sunday, edging George McNeill and Justin Leonard in a play-off to become the oldest winner in the tournament's history.
The 45-year-old Ames was calm and cool on greens that were too slick for most of the field on a sun-baked day at Disney World. The Canadian finished with an 8-under 64 for the clubhouse lead, watching as McNeill (67) and Leonard (67) failed to pass him.
It was the first win of the year and fourth career victory for Ames, including The Players Championship in 2006. This time, he had a few extra people in the gallery.
Among those who followed him on the back nine was his 10-year-old son, Ryan, who provided a little extra motivation walking up to the 18th tee needing a birdie.
"He said, 'Dad, you need to hole this,"' Ames recalled. "I said, 'All right, I'll try my best.' It was a very casual round. It's Mickey Mouse, come on."
Ames got some help.
Leonard rimmed out a 16ft putt for the win in regulation, even beginning to pump his fist in celebration only to watch the ball spin away. He twice left putts short when he was eliminated on the first play-off hole - also the 18th.
"To be this close and not be able to pull it out is disappointing," Leonard said. "Obviously, I thought I made it by my reaction. I was surprised it didn't go in."
Ames also caught another break.
After McNeill saved par on the first play-off hole despite landing his tee shot between the trees, he had a 6ft putt on the 15th to force a third play-off hole. McNeill struck the ball right on the line, but it trickled around the edge and popped off to give Ames the win and the $828,000 first-place prize.
"It made a full 360," McNeill said. "It went down in the hole, and then it spit back out."
There were other rallies that didn't end up on the leaderboard.
Sunday was the last day for players to secure a US Tour card for next year. Only those who finished the year in the top 125 on the money list are guaranteed full status. The next 25 will at least get conditional status and be able to enter more than a dozen tournaments.
For as much back and forth as there was throughout the week, in the end, there wasn't a lot of movement.
Former world No. 1 David Duval already had lost his full status by missing the cut. Robert Garrigus also missed the cut and was knocked out of full status for next year.
Jimmy Walker and Nicholas Thompson were the only two players to move inside the top 125 after beginning the week outside. Walker finished at No. 125.
"It's tough. You can't do anything," Walker said. "You just have to sit back and relax. Not relax, you can't relax. But I did all I could do."
There were plenty others who cut it close.
Rich Beem shot a 68 to finish at 10 under for the tournament. The 2002 PGA Championship winner finished at No. 122 for the season.
He admitted the pressure to perform this weekend got to him in the first two rounds. He talked to his coach Friday night and said that helped him find his swing.
"I must say it was about as odd as I've ever felt thinking about it. I never expected myself to feel the way that I did," Beem said. "When somebody tells you that you can't do your job next year when you know you're so close, that's not such a good feeling."
After turning in his scorecard, Beem stood behind the 18th green watching a monitor with the projected money list. His name flip-flopped twice, and he had to walk away. He later walked into the media center to check the minute-by-minute standings.
"I'm sweating," he said. "But things look good."
Ames is going to have to rework his schedule now, too.
He wasn't planning to try to play at the next year's first event in Maui. That just happens to be the place the Ames family vacations every winter, and they were planning to leave a few days before the tournament.
Looks like they'll need a new itinerary.
"I always tell Gary Player golf always gets in the way," Ames said. "I don't want to play golf. I want to sit on the beach and relax."
Now he'll get to do both.
England's Justin Rose, first-round leader, tied for fifth place with a 17-under-par total of 271. Another Englishman Brian Davis was two shots behind him on 273 after closing with a 64. Just outside the top 20 was a third Englishman, Greg Owen on 277.
FINAL TOTALS
Magnolia Golf Club, Buena Vista, Florida.
Par 288 (4x72)
270 Stephen Ames (Can) 69 70 67 64, Justin Leonard 68 64 71 67, George McNeill 68 66 69 67 (Ames won three-way sudden-death play-off with a par at second extra hole).
271 Justin Rose (Eng) 65 69 69 68, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 68 70 66 67
272 Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 68 69 66 69
273 D A Points 71 70 67 65, Brian Davis (Eng) 72 69 68 64
274 Zach Johnson 67 70 69 68, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 71 66 67 70
275 Bill Haas 68 69 69 69, Jeff Overton 70 68 68 69, Jonathan Byrd 70 68 69 68, Nicholas Thompson 72 69 68 66
276 Will MacKenzie 67 72 66 71, Joe Ogilvie 70 69 67 70, Chris DiMarco 68 68 71 69, Jimmy Walker 69 70 68 69, Tom Lehman 71 67 69 69, Matt Weibring 68 68 70 70
277 Kent Jones 70 68 71 68, Greg Owen (Eng) 66 71 70 70, Johnson Wagner 70 68 72 67
278 Ben Crane 71 70 67 70, John Rollins 70 71 67 70, Jeff Maggert 71 69 68 70, Rich Beem 69 73 68 68
279 Todd Hamilton 74 68 70 67
280 Michael Bradley 70 71 72 67, Patrick Sheehan 70 70 69 71, Spencer Levin 71 68 71 70, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 68 71 74 67, David Toms 73 67 69 71, Charles Howell III 70 70 71 69, Chez Reavie 68 69 71 72
281 Brian Gay 68 71 73 69, Jeff Quinney 70 71 71 69, Cameron Beckman 70 68 73 70, Jay Williamson 70 71 70 70
282 Chris Riley 70 71 73 68, Dean Wilson 75 65 72 70, Tim Herron 70 66 74 72, Ryan Palmer 71 71 70 70, Bo Van Pelt 70 72 69 71, Rickie Fowler 66 75 69 72, Jason Bohn 72 70 71 69
283 Brendon De Jonge 70 72 72 69, Ricky Barnes 73 69 71 70, Brett Quigley 71 68 70 74, Harrison Frazar 71 70 69 73, Kevin Streelman 70 71 73 69
284 Rod Perry 69 70 73 72, Charles Warren 70 70 72 72, Casey Wittenberg 66 71 77 70, Darron Stiles 71 69 71 73, Tom Pernice Jnr. 69 67 74 74, Jeff Klauk 69 72 74 69, James Oh 71 71 70 72, D J Trahan 70 71 74 69
285 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 69 72 71 73, Kris Blanks 67 70 72 76, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 72 69 69 75, Brandt Snedeker 70 70 72 73
286 Aron Price (Aus) 71 70 71 74, Corey Pavin 69 71 73 73, Marc Turnesa 72 70 71 73, Rick Price 67 73 73 73
287 Briny Baird 71 71 69 76
289 Peter Lonard (Aus) 69 70 77 73
290 Ken Duke 71 71 75 73, Ted Purdy 69 73 74 74