SAN MARTIN, California — Sweden's Jonas Blixt overhauled a stumbling John Mallinger to win his first PGA Tour title by one shot at the Frys.com Open here Sunday. Two strokes behind the pacesetting Mallinger overnight, rookie Blixt fired a three-under-par 68 to break clear of a tightly bunched leaderboard on a sun-splashed afternoon at CordeValle Golf Club. The red-shirted Swede snatched the outright lead when he sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the driveable par-four 17th after overhitting the green off the tee, then safely parred the last to finish at 16-under 268. Blixt pumped his right fist in delight after sinking a four-footer to claim his first victory on the US circuit, before being soaked in champagne as he was embraced by friends and family on the 18th green. “It's unbelievable,” the 28-year-old Swede, who finished third at last week's Las Vegas Open, told Golf Channel after becoming the third rookie to triumph on the 2012 PGA Tour. “I have no words right now. “This is the biggest dream I ever had. It's been the greatest two weeks I have ever had on tour.” American Mallinger, like Blixt bidding for a maiden title on the tour, bogeyed five of the first nine holes on the way to a 72 and a tie for fourth at 14 under with compatriot Jimmy Walker (62), Fiji's Vijay Singh (68) and Brazil's Alexandre Rocha (68). Veteran Tim Petrovic closed with a sparkling 64 to share second place with fellow American Jason Kokrak (68) in the second of four events in the PGA Tour's Fall Series. For much of the afternoon at CordeValle, a playoff seemed to be on the cards and four players - Petrovic, Rocha, Blixt and Walker – were tied for the lead late in the final round. Petrovic, whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 New Orleans Classic, edged one stroke clear when he chipped in to birdie the par-five 15th before faltering with a bogey at the par-three 16th after being bunkered off the tee. However, he regained a one-shot cushion with a birdie at the par-four 17th where he drove the green and two-putted, and narrowly missed sinking a 25-footer at the last. Blixt joined Petrovic at the top with a birdie at the par-five 15th, where he was just short of the green in two and chipped up to nine feet, and Kokrak made it a three-way tie by draining a 15-foot eagle putt at the 17th. However, the tournament was effectively decided when Blixt birdied the 17th after his chip from greenside rough hit the flagstick for his ball to settle seven feet past the cup. After coolly sinking that putt, the Swede parred the last to secure victory and earn a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Lowry wins Portugal A spectacular 11th hole eagle helped Ireland's Shane Lowry clinch the Portugal Masters Sunday by one shot from Ross Fisher. Lowry, lying four shots off the lead going into the closing day at the Oceanico Victoria golf course, produced his moment of magic on the 11th when his approach landed a foot short of the hole and hopped in for an eagle two. He eventually signed for a 66 for a 14-under par total of 270. This was Lowry's second win on the European Tour, his first coming as an amateur in the 2009 Irish Open. He was one ahead with one to play, but took five on the last after driving into sand. Fisher, seeking his first title since his Ryder Cup debut two years ago, was unable to force a sudden death play-off, finishing with a bogey. The Briton came in with a 70 to take second, with 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand one shot further back in third for his highest finish in four years. Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, the overnight leader, came in fourth, another shot behind after finding water on the 11th and 17th. — Agencies
