Golf: Pettersson wins event by five strokes

HILTON HEAD ISLAND: Sweden’s Carl Pettersson fired a two-under par 69 in Sunday’s final round to win the US PGA Heritage tournament by five strokes over American Zach Johnson. Pettersson won the $1.03 million top-prize and his fifth career US PGA title, his first since capturing the 2010 Canadian Open. He has now matched Jesper Parnevik for the most career US PGA triumphs by a Swedish player. “It wasn’t easy,” said Pettersson. “I focused and I got it done. It was a great day.” Pettersson finished 72 holes on 14-under 270 with American Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, and a distant second on 275 after a final-round 70. Meanwhile, England’s Luke Donald has surrendered golf’s world number one ranking to Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy after a poor show.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2012.