PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Charl Schwartzel used two big birdies to close with a 4-under 67 and made up a five-shot deficit. All he needed was a par on the first hole of a playoff Sunday at Innisbrook to beat Bill Haas and win the Valspar Championship.

Schwartzel’s two-putt par on the 18th hole in a playoff gave him his third victory worldwide in his last six starts dating to December.

Haas, who never trailed over the final 27 holes of regulation, hit his tee shot into the trees in the playoff, came up short into a bunker and blasted long out of the soft sand to 20 feet. He missed the par putt, and Schwartzel tapped in for his first victory in America since the 2011 Masters.

The loudest cheers belonged to Lee McCoy, the senior at Georgia who grew up next to Innisbrook and made good on his first sponsor’s exemption. Playing alongside Jordan Spieth, McCoy shot 69 to finish alone in fourth.

It was the best finish by an amateur in a PGA Tour event of top players since 17-year-old Justin Rose tied for fourth at the British Open in 1998 at Royal Birkdale. Robbie Shelton tied for third last year in the Barbasol Championship, held opposite the British Open.

McCoy would have earned $292,800 had he been a pro.

“It’s surreal to say the least,” McCoy said.

Spieth fell behind early, never caught up and closed with a 73 to tie for 18th, seven shots behind. He couldn’t help but applaud McCoy when he finished his round.

Schwartzel was the only player who put any sustained pressure on Haas, and he made his move with a 65-foot birdie putt across the green on the par-3 13th hole. He got up-and-down from a tough lie in the bunker for birdie on the 14th, made a tough par save from the edge of a bunker on the 16th and rolled in a 25-foot putt on the 17th.

He posted at 7-under 277.

Haas had a two-shot lead with three holes to play and had made tough par saves to stay in front. It finally caught up with him when he made bogey from the bunker on the 16th hole, and he closed with two pars for a 72.

With more swirling wind on the Copperhead course, Schwartzel and McCoy were the only players to break par from the last nine groups.

“I think everyone’s goal is to keep bogeys off the card,” Schwartzel said when he finished his regulation round. “You’re just surviving.”

That wasn’t easy to do.

Steve Stricker was two shots out of the lead until he made a double bogey on the par-5 11th and never recovered. Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., starting the final round one shot behind in second and determined to get his first PGA Tour victory, never made a birdie in his round of 75.

“Obviously you can’t be in contention putting the way that I did today,” said DeLaet. “It’s disappointing. I was actually pretty proud of myself. I hit the ball really well. I kept trying all day long, I mean I just kept telling myself it was going to happen, it was going to happen. Never did, but, you know, I’m proud of the effort that I put in. Didn’t happen today.”

Ryan Moore hit the ball great and couldn’t figure out the greens, which were slower than normal. Moore was within one shot of the lead at the turn, but he closed with 12 straight pars for a 71 to finish two shots out of the playoff in third place.

It also was a tough day for Ian Poulter, who had a 75-75 weekend and tied for 67th.

That bumped Poulter down to No. 67 in the world ranking, which could knock him out of the Dell Match Play. This was the final week before the world ranking is used to determine the 64-man field (Jim Furyk and Henrik Stenson are not playing). PGA Tour rookie Patton Kizzire closed with a 72 and tied for 33rd, enough to move past Poulter.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Charleston Southern University junior Austin James of Bath, Ont.,  finished third and lead the Buccanners to an eighth-place finish at the 2016 General Hackler on Sunday at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club.

James, the 2014 Canadian Junior Boy’s Champion, played his final 14 holes 5-under par to finish in sole possession of third at 7-under par 209, two shots back of medalists Jimmy Stanger of Virginia and Matthew NeSmith of South Carolina.

James fired a 68 (-4) in the final round and played all three rounds under par.

James and the Bucs tee-it-up next April 3rd at The Hootie at Bulls Bay in Awendaw, S.C.

HUA HIN, Thailand – Scott Hend of Australia shot a final-round 68 to beat Piya Swangarunporn of Thailand by a stroke to win the Thailand Classic at the Black Mountain Golf Course on Sunday.

Hend rolled in five birdies against one bogey for an overall total of 18-under-par 270 to win his second European Tour event.

The Australian, who holed a crucial birdie on the 17th hole to take the lead, says “I’m very proud to win this title.”

The win marked the 43-year-old golfer’s second Asian Tour title in Thailand after the 2013 Chiang Mai Classic and the eighth on the Asian Tour.

Piya, 32, had his best result on the Asian Tour after he shot a tournament record 63 on Sunday that included seven birdies and an eagle on the 10th to finish one back.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Bill Haas took a swing tip from his father on Tuesday and converted into a 54-hole lead at the Valspar Championship.

Haas atoned for a three-putt bogey on the 13th by chipping in for birdie from behind the 15th green on his way to a 4-under 67 on Saturday at Innisbrook, giving him a one-shot lead over Graham DeLaet of Canada going into the final round.

Jay Haas, a nine-time PGA Tour winner and the Presidents Cup captain the last two times, had a week off from the PGA Tour Champions and spent three days with his son. It was on the par-5 fifth hole during a practice round that the father suggested Haas use a more abbreviated follow on his swing to get his hands moving fasters.

It seems to have worked.

On a Copperhead course that has yet to yield a round lower than 66, Haas put together his second straight 67 to reach 8-under 205.

DeLaet, who is now sporting a beard that would make Old Tom Morris proud, pounded a shot out of the rough and over the water to 3 feet on the par-5 14th for an eagle that shot him up the leaderboard, and he finished with a 68 to get into the last group.

“It’s tough to win out here and I know that,” said the Weyburn, Sask., native. “Got a good opportunity tomorrow and I just need to play good golf and should have a chance.”

It’s still up in the grabs on Sunday because of the nature of Innisbrook, which takes shots away more often than it gives up birdies. Six players were within four shots of the lead, and even Jordan Spieth believes he is still in the mix.

Spieth, who opened his title defence with a 76, made the cut with one shot to spare on Friday and moved into a tie for ninth on Saturday with a bogey-free 67 in which he holed a long eagle putt and made a pair of key par saves coming in.

“To think after the first round that I go Saturday night be able to sleep with a chance to win the golf tournament, I’m very pleased with that,” Spieth said.

Charley Hoffman (67) and Ryan Moore (69) were three shots behind.

Charles Howell III holed a bunker shot for birdie on No. 12 only to three-putt from 70 feet on the closing hole for a 70. He was four shots behind, though still has a reasonable chance to win and earn a return to the Masters, which motivates the Augusta, Georgia, native this time of the year.

He was amazed to still be this close to the lead.

“This course continues to surprise me in that it just doesn’t give up good scores,” Howell said. “What am I? Tied for fifth? I would have thought the lead would be 10 or 12 under, and more than one guy there. But maybe that’s just me getting my head beat in.”

Steve Stricker, who shared the 36-hole lead with Will MacKenzie, didn’t make another birdie after the fifth hole and had to settle for a 72. He also was 4-under 209, along with Patrick Reed (68), whom Spieth beat in a playoff last year at Innisbrook.

In the group with Spieth was Lee McCoy, the Georgia senior who ran off five straight birdies around the turn and was headed for a rare low score at Innisbrook until he put his tee shot in the water on the 16th and took double bogey. He still shot a 66 and was six shots behind, and he gets to play the final round with Spieth.

Spieth is the defending champion. McCoy knows the course even better. He grew up near Innisbrook, describing his house as a par 5 away from the course. He played Saturday with Gary Woodland, and McCoy told him that he was in the gallery when Woodland won five years ago.

They will be chasing Haas, who is coming off a big moment in his career last October when he won the decisive point in the Presidents Cup with his father as captain. It hasn’t carried over, at least not yet. Haas has a pair of top 10s this year, though he has not seriously contended.

“Half of it is these guys are really good,” Haas said. “I’m trying to beat some really good players and they’re beating me right now. I just haven’t been sharp. When the Presidents Cup was won, being in the last match and handling some pressure, that was a great stepping stone for me. Hopefully, it will lead to better things. But I’ve still got to play well tomorrow.”

Southampton, Bermuda — Rafael Becker looks like a guy who has it all figured out. He’s young, well spoken, polite and his talent on the golf course is world class.

But once you start to peel back the layers, you realize the 24-year-old from Sao Paulo, Brazil is actually a lot more like many his age who are just trying to find out what actually defines them as a person.

Becker admitted he hasn’t been having fun on the golf course the last couple years. But, on this warm Saturday afternoon in Bermuda, he could finally let his guard down and smile again after winning the Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship.

“I’ll be very honest with you; the last couple years have been tough and I haven’t been having very much fun playing golf,” said the former three-time Brazilian amateur winner. “Part of the reason I came to Bermuda this week was to chill out, enjoy this island paradise and try and find a little bit of myself again.”

Becker’s two-day total of 4-under-par, 104 at the Fairmont Southampton’s Turtle Hill Golf Club was one shot better than European golfing great Barry Lane and two shots better than Americans Zack Byrd, Charlie Winegardner and Bermudian favourite Michael Sims.

With the win, Becker netted a first place payout of $10,000 (USD).

“I haven’t won in a while, so it was nice to get out there this afternoon and get the adrenalin going again because I really like that feeling,” Becker said. “Financially this win is going to help me a lot because it’s expensive to travel around the world chasing golf tournaments.”

This week was Becker’s maiden voyage to the island of Bermuda and he said he’ll definitely be coming back again to the place he described as paradise thanks to it’s gorgeous scenery and friendly locals.

“From the moment I arrived at the airport I’ve felt very welcomed,” Becker said. “It’s said that Brazilian people are really warm and welcoming, but Bermudians might be even more so.”

In addition to the professionals in the championship, the 150-player field is rounded out by an impressive list of amateur golfers—from Bermuda, the United States, Canada and Europe—vying for titles in the men’s, women’s and senior amateur divisions.

Canadian TJ Rule captured the men’s amateur title with a two-day total of even-par, 108, 9-shots better than Bermudian Mark Phillips. Bermuda native Ebonie Burgess won the women’s amateur division, while Craig Christensen won the senior men’s division.

HUA HIN, Thailand (AP) – Scott Hend of Australia shot a 70 to retain the lead after the third round of the Thailand Classic on the par-72 Black Mountain Golf Course.

The 43-year-old Hend produced five birdies for a three day total of 14 under-par 202 to take a two-shot advantage Saturday over Peter Uihlein of the United States.

“I knew it was going to be a tough day, very windy so I’m very pleased,” said Hend, in search of his eight Asian Tour title. “It’s not very often you get a chance to lead a tournament on a Saturday night, let alone on a Sunday.”

Uihlein, the first-round leader, shot four birdies for a 69 and 12-under-par 204.

Belgium’s Thomas Pieters scored the lowest round, a bogey-free 66 for a three-day total of 205 to share third place with Sweden’s Pelle Edberg.

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Canada’s Graham DeLaet fired a 5-under par 66 Friday to climb 43 spots up the leaderboard at the Valspar Championship. DeLaet is 4-under par and has a share of third.

Jordan Spieth holed three shots from off the green and made the cut with one shot to spare.

Now DeLaet and Spieth have to figure out how to catch up to Steve Stricker and Will MacKenzie.

Stricker, playing for only the fifth time this year, holed out from the 10th fairway for eagle and made a 60-foot birdie putt across the fourth green for a 5-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with MacKenzie, who had a 67.

They were at 5-under 137, one shot ahead of DeLaet (66), Bill Haas (67)  and Daniel Berger (68).

Spieth is just happy to be joining them. He opened with a 76 and was in danger of missing the cut, especially when the wind began to pick up just as he was starting his second round on the Copperhead course at Innisbrook.

And then he hooked his tee shot on the par-5 opening hole into a bush, had to take a penalty shot and made bogey on the easiest hole on the course.

“I’m walking off that green going, ‘Oh, boy. We can either somehow flip this one around today or … I don’t want that to be the key of me not being able to be here for the weekend.’ I thought it was really strong what we did after that,” he said.

Nearly five hours later, after he nearly holed a bunker shot on the 17th to save par, Spieth exhaled on the 18th tee and said with a smile, “This was grinding today. I’ve got some good stuff coming on the weekend.”

He wound up with a 68 and was at 2-over 144 to make the cut by one shot. That’s all he was thinking about until he chipped in from behind the green on the 15th for a birdie, and his tee shot on the 16th narrowly cleared the water.

It was hard work, and there is plenty left.

More than just trying to make up seven shots on the weekend, he had 42 players in front of him.

Stricker began to cut back on his schedule a few years ago, and he had back surgery at the end of 2014 that limited his playing even more. But the strength is starting to return to the 49-year-old with the pure putting stroke, and he has looked solid for two days.

Stricker was tied for the lead early on Thursday until three straight bogeys late in his round. This time, he took the eagle and keep running, adding a short birdie putt on the par-5 14th and a 10-foot birdie on the 16th hole to catch MacKenzie.

“There are times I escaped with a few good breaks,” Stricker said. “Holing out on 10, you don’t expect to do that. And that putt at No. 4 was going pretty quick, and that ended up going in. So some things evidently went my way. I’m starting to play a little better. Definitely putting better. And slowly, things are coming together.”

The large group at 3-under 139 included Justin Thomas, who hit a sharp slice to escape the trees on his first hole of the day (No. 10) and turned potential bogey into birdie on his way to a 67. Also at 139 were Augusta, Georgia, native Scott Brown (69), who has yet to play the Masters; past champion Retief Goosen and Charles Howell III, another Augusta native who had a 72.

Only eight shots separated the top and bottom of the leaderboard, leaving the weekend wide open.

Among those missing the cut were Keegan Bradley, who followed his 67 with a 79. The five other Canadians in the field also failed to advance to the weekend.

HUA HIN, Thailand – Scott Hend took a share of the lead alongside Pelle Edberg by shooting an 8-under 64 Friday in the second round of the Thailand Classic.

The Australian, who was the runner-up last year, is tied with Edberg at 12-under 132 overall. He had six birdies and an eagle at the Black Mountain Golf Course

“It’s good to get into position once again for the weekend,” Hend said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Edberg (67) carded seven birdies and two bogeys.

Panuphol Pittayarat (65) was a stroke behind in third, while first-round leader Peter Uihlein (71) is three shots off the lead.

Defending champion Andrew Dodt shot a second straight 73, failing to the make the cut at 142.

Canada’s Richard T. Lee also missed the 36-hole cut. He shot 74-74 to finish at 148 (+4).

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Charles Howell III saw a news blurb that the Masters is a month away, and the Augusta native played Thursday like he wants to be there.

In strong gusts that didn’t subside until the final few hours of daylight, Howell played bogey-free and picked up two big birdies on his way to a 4-under 67 and a share of the lead with Keegan Bradley and Ken Duke in the Valspar Championship.

“I was impressed I got away with no bogeys,” Howell said. “It was nice to get off to a good start here on a place like this. I’m not sure what the rest of the week will hold, but to actually play a nice round on a tough golf course is good for my confidence.”

Jordan Spieth wasn’t sure what to make of his day.

The defending champion had to get up-and-down to save bogey four times on his opening seven holes, and he never recovered. Spieth made only one birdie, played the final 11 holes with 10 pars and a bogey and wound up with a 76. He was nine shots behind and in danger of missing the cut for the second time in three tournaments.

“I got off to a poor start and I was behind the eight ball with gusty winds on a tough golf course,” Spieth said.

Duke also played bogey-free and made birdies on the two par 3s on the back nine that were into the wind and over the water. Bradley was the only player to reach 5 under on a day that featured 25 mph gusts, which seem stronger because the Copperhead course at Innisbrook is demanding in no wind at all.

Howell was in the penultimate group, and the wind laid down for most of the back nine. His play was solid throughout, however, particularly the 4-iron into a left pin that settled a foot from the cup on the par-3 eighth. He picked up another bonus birdie on the par-5 11th with a 45-foot putt.

Howell, perhaps more than any other player from the Augusta area, is linked to the Masters.

He hasn’t played the Masters since he tied for 19th in 2012, and Georgia is on his mind as the first major of the year gets closer.

“Always this time of the year, the Masters’ carrot looms,” Howell said. “When April comes around it has a different feel – at least for me – than the other majors. So when the Masters comes around and I’m not in it, then it’s a bit of a wake-up call or a kick in the rear to somehow make one last push to try to get in it.”

It’s not his desire alone, and Howell realizes that.

He was happy to see Augusta resident Vaughn Taylor qualify by winning at Pebble Beach, and Kevin Kisner (Aiken, South Carolina) qualify through a sensational 2015. He knows that the Masters means as much to Scott Brown (Aiken) as him.

“It’s not like it’s more special to me than anyone else. Everyone feels that way about it,” Howell said. “But yeah, it’s such a great event. It would be nice to somehow find a way to get there.”

Howell likely would have to win a tournament because he is No. 128 in the world, though he did consider one alternate route.

“I may send my application in for the Drive, Chip and Putt,” he said with a laugh. “Maybe I can find a spot in Tampa to try to qualify. Just to get on the grounds with golf clubs in my hands would be great.”

Bradley also needed a round like this. He has missed the cut in four of his five starts this year, and recently switched to a new swing coach. Bradley’s last victory was at Firestone in August 2012. He has fallen to No. 88 in the world.

“It’s been tough,” Bradley said. “It’s no fun playing poorly out here. I see all my buddies up there doing well and it feels not fun to feel like you’re on the outside looking in. So I’ve been working the hardest in my career.”

It was hard work at Innisbrook, especially in the morning when the wind was at its strongest and only four out of 72 players managed to break 70. Several players took advantage of calmer conditions late in the day.

Chesson Hadley was one shot behind with a 68.

Chez Reavie was bogey-free and joined Charley Hoffman and Greg Yates in the group at 69, while Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson were among those at 70.

Only two dozen players broke par, while five players failed to break 80.

“Just keep hanging on,” Howell said. “This golf course is so difficult and there’s trouble everywhere, and I don’t expect tomorrow to be a bogey-free day. Pars are good scores.”

Canadian scores:

DELTONA, Fla. – Augusta James finished runner-up at the National Women’s Golf Association (NWGA) event at The Deltona Club. The member of Golf Canada’s Young Pro Squad shot a final-round 73 to finish 5-under 211 and claim second – one-shot back of winner Erica Popson of Davenport, Fla.

James, a former standout at N.C. State, began the day knotted with Popson at 6-under after identical opening rounds of 69. The pair went back-and-forth throughout the day, but an eagle on the par-5 16^th propelled Popson to victory.

The 22-year-old from Bath, Ont., earned a victory on the NWGA earlier in the season, capturing a two-stroke win at Soboba Springs Golf Club in San Jacinto, Calif.

Full tournament results can be found here.