The Korea Herald

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Duke, 44, bags 1st PGA Tour win in playoff

By Korea Herald

Published : June 24, 2013 - 19:36

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CROMWELL, Connecticut (AP) ― Journeyman Ken Duke made a 2 1/2-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole Sunday to beat Chris Stroud at the Travelers Championship and earn his first PGA Tour victory.

Stroud had chipped in from 51 feet on the 18th hole to force the playoff.

But the 44-year-old Duke made the better approach shot on the second extra hole, bouncing his ball in front of the flag and rolling it close.

“I’ve knocked on the door a lot and here we are,” said Duke, who turned pro in 1994.

He was ranked 144th in the world and was making his 187th start on the PGA Tour. Duke is the sixth golfer in eight years to get his first PGA Tour win here, joining J.J. Henry (2006), Hunter Mahan (2007), Bubba Watson (2010), Fredrik Jacobsen (2011) and Marc Leishman last year.

Canadian Graham DeLaet finished a stroke back in third place. Bubba Watson finished fourth, two-shots behind, after making a six on the par-3 16th hole.

“You gotta believe in yourself in everything you do,” Duke said. “That’s why those guys at the top are winning week in, week out because they believe they can do it. It’s kind of one of those things once you finally do it it might come easier the next time. That’s kind of the way I feel.”