After leading early, struggling, and regaining the lead, Peter Lonard limped home to his first PGA Tour victory, carding a +4 round of 75 on Hilton Head's famed course at the MCI Heritage Classic. Lonard's partner in the final pairing, Irishman Darren Clarke, didn't fare much better and was wheeled on a gurney through two bogeys and two double bogeys in the last six holes to shoot a dismal 76.

Darren Clarke began the day at -10, trailing Lonard by one. After three straight birdies and a Lonard error or two, the lead flipped and the margin grew to four by the fifth hole: Clarke -13, Lonard -9. Sadly, for both players it was downhill from there.

Lonard and Clarke were actually tied at -7 playing the famed 18th, but Clarke pulled his approach into the muck, mire, and weeds near the green and never found his ball. Clarke, who held a six-shot 36-hole lead, is the first player since Nick Price in the 1984 NEC to lose a six-shot (or greater) halfway advantage. Clarke's 76 included four bogeys and three double bogeys.

Tied with Clarke were five-time victor Davis Love III, who fired an even-par round of 71, and the surging Jim Furyk, who shot a respectable 69. Neither could get going enough to make up two more shots on the leaders. When Clarke was at -13, however, it may have looked rather hopeless, but with each hole the leaders seemed to be inching backwards. Billy Andrade, who's having a pretty good year thus far, also finished tied for second at -5.

The win, Lonard's first on the PGA Tour, is also the first time he's seriously contended since the Buick Invitational. Of the victory, Lonard said "It's obviously a great honor. It's something I'll never forget." Lonard mixed his bad rounds - a 74 and a 75 - in with his first-round 62 and third-round 64. His 75 is the highest final round by an MCI Heritage winner, besting Arnold Palmer's 74 in 1969 at the inaugural event.

After jokingly asking for a beer, Clarke said of his "36-handicap play," that "things happen out here that you don't think are going to happen. I didn't think I was going to shoot whatever I shot today." Clarkes' opening 65s were followed by a 73 and his Sunday 76.

In other news, David Frost (yes, he's still playing golf, apparently) set a new PGA Tour record for fewest putts in four rounds. Frosty needed only 92 putts (23/round average), besting Kenny Perry's 16-year-old mark by one, a mark set at the same golf course. Frost also holds the scoring record at the Harbour Town Golf Links with a tidy 61.

Pos   Player         Today   Tot    R1    R2    R3    R4    Tot
1     Peter Lonard     +4     -7    62    74    66    75    277
T2    Jim Furyk        -2     -5    71    68    71    69    279
T2    Billy Andrade    -3     -5    72    69    70    68    279
T2    Davis Love III    E     -5    69    70    69    71    279
T2    Darren Clarke    +5     -5    65    65    73    76    279
T6    Thomas Levet     -2     -4    64    74    73    69    280
T6    Stephen Ames      E     -4    71    69    69    71    280
T6    Rod Pampling     +2     -4    70    69    68    73    280
9     Nick O'Hern      -2     -3    68    71    73    69    281
T10   Scott Verplank   -2     -2    73    70    70    69    282
T10   Michael Allen    -1     -2    71    70    71    70    282
T10   Matt Kuchar       E     -2    72    68    71    71    282
T13   Pat Perez        -1     -1    72    70    71    70    283

Photo Credit: © Streeter Lecka/Getty Images.

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