STEVE FRIESEN FIRST-TIME WINNER ON US NATIONWIDE TOUR

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Steve Friesen started the week with a phone call from a friend who told him he'd earned a berth in the 22nd annual Price Cutter Charity Championship. He finished it with a trophy and a winner's cheque.
The 34-year old Nebraska native shot an 8-under 64 in Sunday's final round to pull away from the field and earn his first career title. Friesen birdied four of the final five holes, including the last three, for a 26-under 262 total and a five-shot win over hard-charging Australian Gavin Coles (66).
Paul Claxton (66), Cliff Kresge (67), Ted Potter Jr. (67), Josh Broadaway (69) and third-round co-leader Travis Hampshire (70) shared third place, six back of the winner.
"It's been a magical week," said Friesen, whose T49 at last week's Cox Classic in Omaha was enough to get him into this week's field. "I feel like I belong."
Two weeks ago Friesen hadn't made a start on the Nationwide Tour. After picking up an oversized check for $112,500 he is now No. 23 on the money list. The 25 leading money winners at the end of the year will earn PGA TOUR cards for 2012.
Friesen started the season on a minor medical exemption but hadn't gotten a start until a sponsor's pick last week. The money earned ($2,411) wasn't much but moved him far enough up the list to qualify for this week. He was out playing a pro-am on Monday when a friend, who checked the internet, and called him with the good news.
Friesen took it from there. He blitzed the Highland Springs Country Club course with a 10-under 62 in the opening round to take the first-round lead by two strokes. A pair of 68s left him at 18-under and sharing the lead with Hampshire, while the leaderboard was stacked behind them.
"There are so many great players on this Tour that I knew I had to go real low today," said Friesen, who became the fourth winner in the past five years to post a 26-under total. "When you have an opportunity like this you want to take advantage of it."
Friesen managed only one birdie in his first six holes and was in a battle for the lead with several challengers. Birdies at 7, 8 and 11 gave him a little breathing room over Broadaway, who was one group in front. Another at 14 gave him a cushion and then he put the hammer down with a trio of birdies to distance himself from the rest.
"I wanted to stay strong at the end," he said. "I didn't want to just hover. I know that you can't force anything."
Hampshire and Broadaway had the best chances but managed only seven birdies between them and failed to put serious pressure on Friesen who was canning birdies and saving pars. His Sunday scorecard featured eight birdies and required only 24 putts. His only bogey of the week came on his back nine in round two.
"The putter was the difference this week," he said after a small change put him a little more upright over the ball. "It just clicked. I rolled it well and that's what it takes out here."

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