Lake Buena Vista, FL (Best E Casino) - Davis Love III fired an eight-under 64 on Sunday to come from behind and win the title at the Children's Miracle Network Classic.
Love finished the championship at 25-under 263 and collected his 20th career victory on the PGA Tour. That magic win total earned him a lifetime exemption on tour.
The win, Love's first since Greensboro two years ago, came remarkably close to the 20-year anniversary of his father's tragic death in a plane accident.
"I've been out here grinding, trying to get a win," said Love, who finally won on his sixth appearance in the Fall Finish. "I can't believe it happened. I'm excited to get it in."
Love won by a single stroke over the unlikeliest of runner-ups, Tommy Gainey.
Gainey, best known for wearing two black gloves while playing, was a contestant on The Golf Channel's "Big Break" program. On Sunday, he fired a 64 as well and took second at minus-24.
Overnight co-leaders Scott Verplank and Steve Marino both managed one-under 71s on Sunday and tied for third at 20-under 268.
For Marino, it was a squandered opportunity at PGA Tour win No. 1, but Verplank lost for the third time at this event with a piece of the 54-hole lead.
This was the final PGA Tour event of the season and the top 125 after Sunday earned their PGA Tour cards for 2009.
The big winner was Martin Laird.
Laird shot a one-under 71 and tied for 21st place at 13-under par. His check for $49,680 moved him from 126th at the start of the week to lucky No. 125.
Shane Bertsch was the odd man out. He missed the cut and fell from 124th to 126th.
But the hero on Sunday was Love.
He birdied three of his first five holes and found himself tied for the lead. Love and Marino shared first after back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 and Gainey kept pace with birdies on the same holes in the group ahead.
Marino fell down thanks to a terrible chip at 13 that cost him a bogey. Love chipped his second inside a foot and tapped in for birdie and a one-shot advantage.
Gainey birdied 13 and 14 to make up ground, but when Love poured in a 25- footer for birdie at 14, he was two ahead of Gainey. Marino bogeyed 15 and was no longer a serious factor.
Gainey hit an eight-iron to 10 feet to set up birdie at the 17th and claw within one. Love drained a 19-foot birdie putt at 16 to once again move ahead by two, but trouble loomed.
At the 17th, Love nearly drove into water. He was dry, but his lie forced him to pitch back into the fairway. Love knocked his third to seven feet and things got interesting considering what Gainey did at the last.
After another long drive from Gainey, he stiffed his approach to four feet. He kicked in the short birdie putt to reach 24-under par and trail Love by a single shot.
But the 1997 PGA Champion holed the gutsy par save at 17 to stay in front. Love once again missed the fairway at the 18th and his second ran through the green into the back bunker.
Love had a downhill shot from the trap, but blasted out beautifully to three feet. After Marino and Verplank missed birdie chances, they tapped in and left the stage for Love.
He converted the tester for the lifetime exemption.
"I hit three bad drives today, two of them on the last two holes," said Love. "It's been a lot of fun."
Joe Durant fired a seven-under 65 and took fifth at minus-19.
Kevin Streelman (68), Troy Matteson (70) and Scott Sterling (71) shared sixth place at 18-under 270. Michael Allen held on to his card with a five-under 67 on Sunday. He took ninth alone at 16-under 272.
Erik Compton, five months removed from his second heart transplant, closed with an even-par 72. He tied for 60th place at six-under 282 and beat former Masters champion Zach Johnson and three-time Ryder Cupper Jeff Maggert.
"I'll get ready for Q School," said Compton, who played on a sponsor's exemption. "I've got to play out here. My body's holding up. I have to take the positive of this week of making a lot of birdies. That's it."
