US PGA Tour Qualifying School

RUSSELL KNOX FALLS AT STAGE 2 HURDLE

.. so too does 2004 Open winner Todd Hamilton

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The American (Tour) Dream of Inverness exile Russell Knox is over for yet another year.
The Scot who can make thousands of dollars a year on the NGA Hooters Tour just cannot crack it through the US PGA Tour Qualifying School.
Today, at Southern Hills Plantation Club, Brooksville in Florida, Knox finished joint 41st in one of the Stage 2 eliminators being staged across America to decide who would qualify for the Final Q School at Orange County National Golf Centre near Orlando, Florida from December 1 to 6.
Knox, a former Scotland youth cap but a resident of Jacksonville Beach, Florida since his four years at Jacksonville University, had rounds of 68, 72, 74 and 74 for level par 288.
He finished 18 shots behind the joint winners at this venue - Bill Hurley from Maryland (69-67-67-67) and Scott Brown (South Carolina) (65-68-70-67), both on 18-under-par 270.
The limit mark for qualifying was six-under-par 282. There were 19 qualifiers.
Other "failures" at Southern Hills PC were England's John Morgan with 72, 71, 75 and 72 for 290 (joint 49th) and Sweden's Daniel Chopra, twice a winner on the US Tour, with scores of 70, 77, 72 and 73 for 292 and joint 54th place.
Englishman Zane Scotland failed to progress from the Stage 2 event at Hombre Golf Club, Panama City Beach, Florida. He had scores of 72, 75, 71 and 73 for 291 and finished joint 41st at this venue where the qualifiers for the Final Q School included Mansfield-born Greg Owen, one of the unsung English competitors on the US PGA Tour.
Owen has had a bad season, having made only 10 cuts in 27 events and is 183rd in the money table with $268,835 to his name.
The 38-year-old, 6ft 4in player shot rounds of 72, 66, 70 and 75 for one-under-par 283 and a joint 15th ticket to the Final Showdown.
One of the biggest names to fail in his big to retain US PGA Tour player status was Todd Hamilton who beat Ernie Els in a play-off to win the 2004 Open at Royal Troon (Phil Mickelson was third and Lee Westwood fourth) and also the Honda Classic on the US Tour that year.
Sic transit gloria indeed. Six years later the man from Westlake, Texas makes only four cuts in 20 starts and now he has paid the ultimate price for "losing it."
Hamilton finished joint 50th in the Stage 2 eliminator at TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney in Texas. He had rounds of 69, 75, 75 and 70 for 289.
A qualifier in joint second place at this venue was former British boys champion and one of the youngest ever winners on the European Tour, Spain's Pablo Martin with rounds of 68, 70, 67 and 68 for 15 under par 273.
Failure at any Qualifying School the world over also hits the player financially.
The cost of entering the US Tour Q School, depending on at what stage, is roughly $4,500.
Is that a rip off? Most certainly is, but all the Tours use qualifying schools to pay their staff's annual wages - and some. It's all about supply and demand.
The number of places to be won at Q School is low but the number of people for whom hope springs eternal is very high.

TO READ ALL THE SCORES AT THE SIX US PGA TOUR Q SCHOOL
STAGE 2 EVENTS:

PLEASE CLICK HERE

Garcia, Cook inspire

amateurs at Gary

Player Invitational

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
Dwight Yorke admitted to being terrified of the pressure but was soon calmed by the sublime golf of professionals Sergio Garcia and John Cook as they took the lead in Saturday’s first round of the Gary Player Invitational, presented by Coca-Cola, at The Links at Fancourt.

Yorke and businesswoman Sinead Kenny, the leading amateur duo in a charity tournament that partners a celebrity and business leader with professionals from the regular tour and Champions Tour over 36 holes, lead the four-ball alliance competition by one stroke on 14 under par.
And their professionals in Garcia and Cook also lead the better-ball competition by one stroke on seven under.
The better-ball is reserved for the professionals, while the amateurs playing alongside them compete in the fourball alliance competition.

“I was terrified out there,” said Yorke. “I’ve played in front of big crowds before, but the game of golf is certainly different. The golf became easier once I relaxed.”

Kenny, a regular competitor in this tournament, is certainly looking forward to improving on her second place finish in the alliance competition last year.

“I think my teams get better every year. But we’ve had so much fun and it’s a privilege to play with golfers like this.”

Making his debut in this event and playing his first competitive round on The Links, Garcia looked impressive as he goes about regaining his form.

“It’s getting there, but it’s a work in progress. It’s not like you just do something and suddenly it’s a pretty picture again,” he said.

In the amateur alliance competition, being the major sponsor of this event clearly benefitted Alex Maditsi. The Country Manager of Coca-Cola East and Central Africa and his four-ball are one stroke off the lead on 13 under, with Maditsi enjoying one of his best rounds in this tournament. Playing off a nine handicap, he went out in six over par and then played the back nine in level par.

“It was a memorable day for me. I didn’t play at all well on the front nine and was extremely angry with myself. So I pulled it together on the back nine,” he said.

One of the star attractions on Saturday was the professional pairing of tournament host Gary Player and leading South African women’s professional Lee-Anne Pace. This was the first time Pace has played with the Grand Slam champion.

“It was amazing – one of the best days of my life on the golf course. I’ve learned a lot from him in our first round of golf together,” said Pace.
And Player was certainly impressed with the potential of the five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour this year.
“I was impressed with how she keeps the ball in play. She has a good all-round game, and that kind of game can win Majors,” said Player. “Lee-Anne can do so much for women’s golf and South Africa. I would love to see her with her ability to really put a massive effort into winning Majors. And I think she can do it.”

Short leet for match at Royal Aberdeen in September 2011

USGA name 16 players for Walker

Cup practice

FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
By Sean Martin
Sixteen players have been invited by the U.S. Golf Association to attend a practice session for the 2011 Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen GC.
Steve Smyers, chair of the USGA’s International Team Selection Committee, shared the list of invitees with Golfweek:
Blayne Barber, Auburn sophomore (No. 20 in Golfweek/amateurgolf.com U.S. Rankings): Round of 32, U.S. Amateur; Sweet 16, Western Amateur; 3rd, Southern Amateur; T-4 Players Amateur; 3rd, Jones Cup; Won, UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate; No. 20 in Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Patrick Cantlay, UCLA freshman (11): Semifinalist, U.S. Amateur; Runner-up, U.S. Amateur stroke play; 2nd, Southern Amateur; Won, Gifford Collegiate; No. 4 in Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Bud Cauley, Alabama junior (32): Member, 2009 Walker Cup team (3-1-0); 5th, Southern Amateur; Second-team All-American in 2009; Won, 2009 Players Amateur; No. 10 in Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Alex Ching, San Diego junior (27): Runner-up, NCAA Championship; Round of 16, U.S. Amateur; Round of 64, British Amateur; T-13, 2009 NCAA Championship.
David Chung, Stanford junior (2): U.S. Amateur runner-up; Won, Western Amateur; Won, Porter Cup; T-9, World Amateur Team Championship; Won, 2009 North and South; Member, Member, U.S. Palmer Cup team (4-0-0).
Harris English, Georgia senior (18): Quarterfinals, U.S. Amateur Public Links; Round of 16, U.S. Amateur; T-10, Porter Cup; T-27, Nationwide Tour’s Stadion Athens Classic; T-8, Jones Cup.
John Hahn, Kent State senior (19): Round of 16, U.S. Amateur; T-6, NCAA Championship; Won, Gopher Invitational; Won, 2009 Western Amateur.
Russell Henley, Georgia senior (4): T-16, U.S. Open; 4th, Porter Cup; T-7, Southern Amateur; Fred Haskins Award winner; Golfweek College Player of the Year; Won, Brickyard Collegiate; Won, SEC Championship; T-34, Nationwide Tour’s Stadion Athens Classic; Member, U.S. Palmer Cup (3-0-1).
Scott Langley, Illinois senior (3): T-16, U.S. Open; Won, NCAA Championship; Quarterfinals, U.S. Amateur; T-31, World Amateur Team Championship; No. 22, Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Gregor Main, UCLA junior (13): Runner-up, Western Amateur; Won, 2009 Southern Amateur; T-5, Pacific Coast Amateur; T-9, NCAA Championship; Made cut (70th), 2009 PGA Tour’s Buick Invitational; No. 26, Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Andrew Putnam, Pepperdine senior (15); Won, Pacific Coast Amateur; T-7, Southern Amateur; 2nd, Sahalee Players Championship; Qualified, 2010 U.S. Open; Won, William H. Tucker Intercollegiate.
Patrick Reed, Augusta State junior (T-6): Round of 32, U.S. Amateur; Round of 16, U.S. Amateur Public Links; T-2, U.S. Amateur Public Links stroke play; T-7, Sunnehanna Amateur; Won, Jones Cup; Semifinals, 2009 Western Amateur; Semifinals, 2008 U.S. Amateur; No. 14 in Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Nathan Smith, mid-am (T-6); Three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (2010, ’09, ’03); Medalist, 2010 and 2009 U.S. Mid-Am; Member, 2009 Walker Cup team (2-0-1); 2nd, Sunnehanna Amateur; T-6, Jones Cup; 5th, Copa de las Americas.
Jordan Spieth, high-school senior (41): T-16, PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Championship; Won, AJGA Ping Invitational; Won, 2009 U.S. Junior; Medalist, 2009 U.S. Junior. T-2, AJGA Junior Players Champonship; 5th, Azalea Invitational.
Peter Uihlein, Oklahoma State junior (1): Member, 2009 Walker Cup team (4-0-0); Won, U.S. Amateur; Won, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational; T-4, World Amateur Team Championship; T-2, Porter Cup; Won, Sahalee Players Championship; T-7, Sunnehanna Amateur; T-2, NCAA Championship; Won, NCAA Southeast Regional; No. 1, Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Andrew Yun, Stanford sophomore (T-6) : Round of 32, U.S. Amateur Public Links; T-8, Players Amateur; Won, Dogwood Invitational; T-4, Northeast Amateur; Won, The Prestige; No. 3, Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings; T-2, 2009 Porter Cup; Sweet 16, 2009 Western Amateur.

The practice session will be held the first week in January at Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa, Florida. The session will provide an opportunity for team-building, alternate shot practice and will allow prospective team members to meet captain Jim Holtgrieve and the USGA selectors.
Smyers said that players not invited to the session still will be considered for the 2011 Walker Cup team. “I fully expect someone not (at Old Memorial) to play their way onto the team,” he said.
The 2011 Walker Cup will be played Sept. 10-11 over the Balgownie links of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.

HONG KONG OPEN Third round report, scores

Poulter leads by two after birdie-

birdie finish

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Ian Poulter finished in stunning style today  to double his advantage at the UBS Hong Kong Open, but the Englishman still has plenty of work to do to secure a tenth European Tour title on Sunday.
After embarking on a birdie blitz round the Fanling course on Friday in a career-best 60, Poulter, pictured, found chances a little harder to come by as he recorded a six under par 64 to sit 19 under.
The Ryder Cup star picked up shots on the second and 13th, as well as an eagle three on the par five third.
But it was his birdie-birdie finish, with putts of 12 feet on the penultimate hole and 18 feet at the last that put the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play winner two clear of Graeme McDowell.
The tournament is shaping up for a thrilling finale with McDowell - bidding for a good finish to eat into Martin Kaymer's Race to Dubai lead -making his move.
The US Open Championship winner climbed the leaderboard with a strong run coming home as the Northern Irishman shot an impressive 63 to go second on 17 under.
Poulter's compatriot Simon Dyson produced a tidy round of 65 to sit third on 16 under, one ahead of Rory McIlroy and Anthony Kang.
The 34 year old Poulter was bogey free once again at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
"It is huge," said the Englishman of his strong finish. "I saw the other guys get off to a good start and that kind of frustrated me not to convert some of the chances I had.
"With Simon (Dyson) and Graeme (McDowell) pressing I wanted to make sure I went into tomorrow with a bit of a lead. That is key, really, making sure you go into Sunday with a nice advantage."
McDowell's climb up the leaderboard was kick-started by an eagle on the par four tenth.
The US Open Championship winner had reached the turn two under following three birdies and one bogey but sank a putt from 20 feet on the tenth after driving the green before picking up three successive birdies from the 13th to close in on Poulter.
"It really got me going," said McDowell. "I birdied 13, 14 and 15 so it was a good back nine but it was definitely the eagle on ten that got me off and running.
"I am very happy with that round. It was more of the same really because I have played great this week."
Dyson maintained his impressive form in Hong Kong to remain firmly in contention for Sunday after carding a five under 65 to move onto 16 under, three behind Poulter.
The former KLM Open winner started with aplomb as he reeled off three successive birdies from the first before two further gains on the front nine were cancelled out by two bogeys, meaning he reached the turn in three under.
Dyson then picked up birdies in three of his next five holes before a bogey on the par four 15th denied him a share of second place.
Rory McIlroy will need to be at his best to have a chance of claiming victory after a four under 66 left him tied fourth alongside Anthony Kang (67) on 15 under.
The Northern Irishman failed to take advantage of a back nine that has been particularly generous with birdie putts as the 21 year old managed to pick up shots on only the tenth and 18th.
Nevertheless, McIlroy felt those putts were pivotal in keeping him in touch with the leaders.
"I'm a couple behind, but feel as if I'm playing well and made some key up and downs on the back nine to keep myself in there," he said. "I think my patience paid off with a birdie at the last.
"I didn't quite have it as well as I had it on Thursday and Friday, but 66 is still a decent score. But I need to go out tomorrow and try and put a low one on the board and see what happens."
Defending champion Grégory Bourdy is six shots behind Poulter in a three-way tie for eighth after signing for a five under 65.

THIRD ROUND TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)
191 Ian Poulter 67 60 64
193 Graeme McDowell 65 65 63
194 Simon Dyson 64 65 65
195 Anthony Kang (USA) 67 61 67, Rory McIlroy 63 66 66
196 Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 63 67 66, Mark Brown (Nzl) 62 69 65
197 Matteo Manassero (Ita) 67 63 67, Jamie Donaldson 66 66 65, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 66 66 65
198 Anders Hansen (Den) 66 64 68, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 66 64 68, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 68 63 67
200 Jbe Kruger (Rsa) 69 66 65, Darren Clarke 72 64 64
201 Soren Hansen (Den) 64 67 70, Fabrizio Zanotti (Par) 67 64 70, Kenneth Ferrie 65 66 70
202 Ben Leong (Mal) 68 68 66, Damien McGrane 65 70 67, Gareth Maybin 67 67 68, Young Nam (Kor) 65 71 66, A Siddikur (Ban) 72 64 66, Tony Carolan (Aus) 70 65 67, Kunal Bhasin (Ind) 68 67 67, Michael Hoey 68 65 69
203 Ricardo Gonzalez (Arg) 66 69 68, Scott Barr (Aus) 68 67 68, Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 69 66 68, Gregory Havret (Fra) 69 66 68
204 Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 67 69 68, Kodai Ichihara (Jpn) 67 71 66, Wen-Tang Lin (Tpe) 68 68 68, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 67 67 70, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 68 67 69
205 Seung-yul Noh (Kor) 70 68 67, Marcus Both (Aus) 67 70 68, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 68 68 69, Joong Kyung Mo (Kor) 66 70 69, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Ind) 68 69 68, James Morrison 67 69 69, Bradley Dredge 67 70 68
206 David Howell 66 69 71, Colin Montgomerie 69 68 69, Jose Manuel Lara (Spa) 72 66 68, John Daly (USA) 69 66 71, David Drysdale 67 71 68, Stephen Gallacher 68 70 68, Paul Lawrie 68 70 68, Mark Foster 70 67 69
207 Pariya Junhasavasdikul (Tha) 69 69 69, Jeppe Huldahl (Den) 69 68 70, Sung Lee (Kor) 67 68 72, Scott Strange (Aus) 68 68 71, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra) 68 68 71, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 68 70 69
208 Rhys Davies 65 71 72, Peter Lawrie 70 66 72, Thomas Levet (Fra) 69 69 70
209 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 69 68 72, Danny Chia (Mal) 70 68 71, Graeme Storm 69 68 72, Jason Knutzon (USA) 70 67 72
210 David Gleeson (Aus) 70 67 73, Paul McGinley 69 68 73
211 Iain Steel (Mal) 69 66 76

AUSTRALIAN SENIOR OPEN

    Sandy Lyle in Royal Perth mix with 68 but   

 Peter Senior is three shots ahead

It seems only the predicted thunderstorms might be able to stop Peter Senior from winning the 2010 Handa Australian Senior Open at Royal Perth Golf Club tomorrow.

Senior has added a two-under-par 70 to his first round 65 to be on nine-under-par 135 with one round to play, three strokes clear of Peter Fowler and six ahead of a surging European pack including dual major championship winner Sandy Lyle (pictured).

-----------------------------------------------------

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE

-----------------------------------------------------

The lead could have been larger had it not been for Senior's two rare bogeys late in today's second round which will give hope to a suddenly hot chasing pack when it had once appeared gone.

But after the ultra-consistent Senior birdied Royal Perth's short par-five ninth, even he thought that lead could have become unsurmountable.

"I played pretty good and had a lot of opportunities through the middle of the round," the Queenslander said.

"I thought if I could pick up a couple (of birdies) around 10-13, I might spreadeagle the field and have a little bit of a coast tomorrow, but then a three-putt on 15 and a bogey from nowhere on 16 and it's still a contest."

Senior and Fowler have played many big tournaments together and Senior is convinced it would take something spectacular for one of them not to hold on today.

"Three shots is absolutely nothing. The guys at three under are really going to have to shoot a good score to get in front of myself and `Chooky' because I'm pretty sure that one of us will go ahead."

Senior led by four shots heading into the final round of the Open last year at the same venue and was eventually beaten in a play-off.

"It's there for me to win and there for me to lose ... but I don't want to let them in again."

Fowler, still battling for tournament fitness after recuperating from a series of injuries, reached eight under at one stage, but four bogeys in an erratic seven-hole stretch cost him dearly.

Lyle, who has battled inconsistency in his three years on the Champions Tour, still suffered through two bogeys and a double-bogey.

But he also threw in six birdies and a stunning eagle on his way to a four-under-par 68 that vaulted him to three-under overall.

As a measure of just how far Lyle still hits the ball, playing partner Ian Baker-Finch crushed two three-woods to the front edge of the 470m par-5 third.

But the burly Scot nailed a driver and a seven-iron to 5m before draining his putt and giving a "Tiger pump" in celebration.

"I hit a real good solid drive, then from 190 yards with a seven-iron to about 15 feet and a good solid putt right in the middle of the hole -- it doesn't get any better than that," he said.

"But then I come out to bat on the next hole and made a bogey.

"I've generally been wasting four or five shots a round -- a double-bogey here, a three-putt there and nearly five bogeys every round I play and I’m still going around in 73 or so ... I just can't seem to get it all together, as they say.

"Still, I'm happy to be going in the right direction again."

Colourful Frenchman Marc Farry, a dual winner on the European Tour this year, made only one bogey on his way to a solid 69 to be joint third on three-under, alongside Lyle and Englishmen Gary Wolstenhome and D J Russell, who closed with a superb eagle on 18.

Ian Baker-Finch played a solid round of 71 which included a penalty for an unplayable lie when his drive remained lodged in a tree on the par-five 18th.

After identifying it and finally dislodging it, the affable Queenslander scrambled a 6 on the only hole on which he used his driver.

He then couldn't get up and down for par on the long par-three second, but after that showed flashes of brilliance with the putter for three birdies and several big par saves.

"That drive up 18 was the only poor shot really ... I thought I could shoot better than par all three days, but (in round one) I wasted six shots with bad drives because I missed most of the fairways after watching Pete Senior and thinking I'd have to chase hard to catch him," he said.

"Today I just used three-wood and it was much easier playing off the fairways."
Edinburgh-based Andrew Oldcorn was a second Scot in the leading 10. He had a 69 for 142. Anglo-Scot Bill Longmuir is on 145 after a 71 but Sam Torrance is away down the leaderboard on 149 after rounds of 73 and 76.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
135 Peter Senior 65 70.
138 Peter Fowler 67 71.
141 David Russell 72 69, Gary Wolstenholme 73 68, Marc Farry (France) 72 69, Sandy Lyle 73 68.
142 Craig Owen 71 71, Andrew Oldcorn 73 69, Jim Lapsley 72 70, Michael Harwood 71 71, Rodger Davis 74 68.
143 Chris Williams 71 71.
144 Larry Can ning 754 69, Michael Clayton 71 73, David Armstrong 71 73, Hugh Dolan 71 73, Kevin Spurgeon 71 73, John Harrison 73 71, Peter Criss 70 74, Mike Ferguson 73 71, Gregory Engall 76 68
145 John Serhan 75 70, Ian Woosnam 72 73, Bill Longmuir 74 71, Garth Domigan 74 71, David Saunders 73 72.
146 David Merriman 72 75, Ian Baker-Finch 75 71.
148 Simon Owen 75 73, Glenn Ralph 74 74, Greg Carroll 77 71, John Downs 74 74, Mark Wilson 76 72.
149 Sam Torrance 73 76, Roger Stephens 78 71.
Selected scores:

151 Nick Job 77 74.
152 Wayne Grady 79 73.

Mallinger leads Pebble Beach

Invitational

PEBBLE BEACH, California (AP) — John Mallinger, no longer fully exempt on the US PGA Tour after finishing 133rd on the money list this year, birdied five of his last six holes at Pebble Beach for 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead in the Pebble Beach Invitational.
Mallinger had nine birdies and two bogeys in the second round to reach 9-under 135 in the 76-player event that features male and female professionals.
"I pretty much made everything out there," said Mallinger, third twice in the PGA Tour's Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. "I just always feel comfortable here. It's like home."
PGA Tour winner Matt Bettencourt, the first-round leader after a 64 at Del Monte, had a 72 at Spyglass Hill to drop into a tie for second with two-time Champions Tour winner Russ Cochran and four-time LPGA Tour champion Candie Kung. Cochran had a 65, and Kung shot a 68, both at Del Monte.
"I played pretty well, but I didn't hit it below the hole," said Bettencourt, the Reno-Tahoe Open winner in July for his first PGA Tour title. "That's the key at Spyglass. "The greens were firm and fair and that's what makes it a great course."
D.A. Points was fifth at 7 under after a 66 at Pebble Beach.
Annika Sorenstam, competing for one of the rare times since her retirement in 2008, shot a 72 at Spyglass Hill, leaving her six strokes back at 3 under.
Twenty-five players shot sub-par rounds, nine fewer than in the opening round. Del Monte produced 17 of the under-par scores in the second round.
Kevin Streelman, who had a first-round 69 at Del Monte, was disqualified after signing an incorrect scorecard at Pebble Beach.
Defending champion Mark Brooks, the seven-time PGA Tour winner and only three-time Pebble Beach Invitational champion, will likely miss the cut after shooting a 78 to finish at 11 over.
The top 40 and ties following the third round will advance to the final round Sunday at Pebble Beach. The winner will receive $60,000 from the $300,000 purse.
The tournament is sponsored by Callaway Golf.

US CHAMPIONS TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL

Chapman, Mouland gain conditional

exempt status

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
CORAL SPRINGS, Florida (AP) — Two-time winner on the US PGA Tour Keith Clearwater won the Champions Tour's national qualifying tournament Friday, closing with an even-par 72 in windy conditions at TPC Eagle Trace for a three-stroke victory over Lee Rinker, Frankie Minoza and Phil Blackmar.
The 51-year-old Clearwater finished at 16-under 272 to earn the first of five fully exempt spot on the 2011 tour. He shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday.
"It feels good to finish something and get it done," Clearwater said. "It was difficult today playing in this wind and every shot was hard; maybe five to 10 shots harder than yesterday.
"It meant having to make good choices and make a lot of 3-, 4-, and 5-footers. It was a tough day, so I was very pleased to make the putts when I needed to and keep that distance I had most of the day. This allows me to make my schedule for next year and play every week, so I'm looking forward to that."
Minoza shot a 67, Blackmar had a 68, and Rinker closed with a 72.
John Morse earned the fifth and final fully exempt spot, beating Robert Thompson and England's Roger Chapman with a birdie on the first hole of a play-off.
Morse missed a 4ft par putt on the final hole of regulation to drop into a tie with Thompson and Chapman at 12 under.
Chapman, Thompson, Welshman Mark Mouland, Jim Rutledge, Steve Haskins, J.L. Lewis and Fred Holton earned conditionally exempt status. The rest of the top 30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events.
Final totals of British players:
276 Roger Chapman (England) 70 67 70 69 (jt 5th).
278 Mark Mouland (Wales) 69 74 69 66 (jt 8th).
283 Barry Lane (England) 71 69 72 71 (jt 14th).
288 Paul Curry (England) 75 68 74 71 (jt 37th).

TO READ ALL THE SCORES ON THE US CHAMPIONS TOUR WEBSITE,

PLEASE CLICK HERE