Event Recap Lovemark earns first win in Mexico |
Leon, Mexico (Sports Network) - Jamie Lovemark needed one extra hole to earn his first Nationwide Tour win on Sunday.
Lovemark, in the fourth-to-last group, closed with a four-under 68 to finish at 12-under-par 276. Playing in the final twosome, B.J. Staten carded a three- under 69 to force a playoff.
They headed back to the par-five 18th where Lovemark ended things quickly as he made eagle. The victory was Lovemark's first on the Nationwide Tour.
Efren Serna, Jr. also closed with a 69 to take third place at minus-11. Jose Rodriguez (68) posted a four-under 68 to end alone in fourth at 10-under-par 278.
Peter Tomasulo, who shared the third-round lead with Staten, stumbled to a three-over 75 to tumble into a tie for 14th at six-under-par 282.
Lovemark flew out of the gate with a birdie on the first and an eagle on the second. He converted back-to-back birdies from the eighth to make the turn at 13-under.
The 2007 NCAA Individual champion faltered to bogeys on 11 and 14 at El Bosque Golf Club. Lovemark got one of those strokes back with a birdie on 16, but he parred the last two to end at minus-12.
Staten parred the first seven holes before making his first birdie at the eighth. He got to minus-11 with a birdie on the par-five 10th.
He tripped to a bogey on 12, but rallied late to force the playoff. After a birdie on the 16th, Staten also birdied the par-five 18th to force the extra session with Lovemark.
Two-time PGA Tour winner Frank Lickliter and Hunter Haas both closed with five-under 67s to share fifth place at nine-under-par 279. They were joined there by Colt Knost, who shot four-under 68 in the final round.
NOTES: With the victory, Lovemark jumps to No. 2 on the Nationwide Tour money list...The tour us off next week, but returns the following week with the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, where Roger Tambellini won last year.