Chopra's first PGA victory is worth the wait

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Daniel Chopra was born in Sweden, raised in India by grandparents and had to fly overseas to buy golf balls. He seemingly spent time on every pro tour imaginable, and those stops flashed through his mind as he stood over the final putt.

"You never know how you're going to react," the 33-year-old Chopra said.

He reacted just fine — and posted his first PGA Tour victory.

Chopra reclaimed the outright lead with a birdie at the par-5 16th hole Monday morning and held on to capture the oft-delayed Ginn sur Mer Classic, edging Fredrik Jacobson and Shigeki Maruyama by one stroke at Tesoro Club.

"It's amazing," Chopra said. "It's something that I've dreamed about for a long time."

Chopra closed with a 2-under-par 71 and finished at 19-under 273, becoming the 12th first-time winner on Tour this season.

The victory came in Chopra's 133rd career start, and the $810,000 winner's check pushed his career earnings to just shy of $5 million.

He saw a four-shot lead over his nearest pursuers evaporate as darkness fell on the course Sunday night, but returned to compete in the morning and found a way to prevail.

It was hard to tell who was happier: Chopra in victory, or Maruyama in defeat.

The Japanese player left with a good consolation prize — a Tour card for next season. His tie for second earned him $396,000, vaulting him from 137th to 103rd on the money list with one tournament remaining, meaning he will finish among the top 125 and have full playing privileges next season.

Not bad, considering he was at No. 208 on the list earlier this year.

"This year was really hard, the most difficult year in eight years for myself," said Maruyama, who had been in the top 80 on the money list in each of his first seven years on Tour. "I'm really happy."

He might skip this week's Children's Miracle Network Classic at the Disney courses near Orlando, Fla. "Bye, bye, Disney," Maruyama said.

Jacobson's finish was his best in 96 starts on Tour.

Dicky Pride (64) was fourth at 16 under, earning $216,000 — the second-biggest check of his career, $9,000 shy of what he made for winning the 1994 St. Jude Classic.

Michael Putnam of University Place tied for 45th at 4 under and is 157th on the money list. Jeff Gove of Seattle tied for 55th at 2 under and is 153rd in earnings.

Chopra, Maruyama and Jacobson entered the morning at 18 under, with Chopra having three holes left and the others with two. That figured to give Chopra an edge, since his first hole Monday was the par-5 16th, the easiest on the course this week. He birdied it for the fourth time.

Note

• American Michelle Wie, who has yet to fully recover from wrist injuries, will not compete against men next month in the Japan Golf Tour's Casio Open in Kochi.