The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Henry bags Buick title

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Tuesday, Jul 04, 2006

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Sport - Golf

Henry bags Buick title

CROMWELL (U.S.): J.J. Henry's first U.S. PGA Tour win gave the hometown crowd something to celebrate on Sunday.

Henry shot a 3-under 67 for a victory at the Buick championship by three strokes, becoming the first Connecticut player to win the 55-year-old tournament.

The 31-year-old tipped his hat and applauded the fans as he walked up the 18th to an ovation. He dropped his putter and pumped both fists in the air when his par putt rolled in. He's been coming to the tournament since he was a boy, dreaming each time about a victory. ``Every time I'd leave here I'd go back to the putting green or the driving range and pretend I was winning the tournament,'' Henry said. ``It means the world to me.''

The victory also clinched Henry a spot in his first British Open and moved him to sixth in U.S. Ryder Cup points. Henry, who now lives in Texas, takes home $792,000 (euro 623,000), his biggest paycheque since joining the tour in 2000. Hunter Mahan (65) and Ryan Moore (67), who had surgery on his left hand in March, tied for second at 11-under. It was Mahan's best finish in two years. He also was looking for his first tour win.

Nathan Green (66) was all alone in fourth at 9-under. Former Buick championship winners Stewart Cink (67) and Woody Austin (68) were in a group which included Shigeki Maruyama (66) and Bubba Dickerson (67) at 7-under.

Henry played here as an amateur in 1998. finishing tied for 56th. This year marks his eighth appearance at the TPC at River Highlands. His previous best finish was a tie for 21st in 2003.

Mahan birdied his final two holes to clinch his best finish since he tied for second at Reno in 2004 in his rookie season. — AP

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