Date: June 25, 2007
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O’Hern storms home for third

Australian Nick O&aposHern has fired a final round of 66 to finish in third place behind American Hunter Mahan in the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. O&aposHern&aposs round included four birdies over the front nine, but his charge wilted on the tough back nine. Mahan captured his first PGA Tour victory by winning a sudden-death play-off against Jay Williamson. Mahan, who finished second at this event last year, sank a short birdie putt on the first play-off hole to beat Williamson. The victory gave Mahan, who finished the tournament at 15-under-par 265, the first prize of just over one million US dollars. Mahan entered the final round a shot behind Williamson, then took over the lead with three birdies on his first 10 holes. But consecutive bogeys on 16 and 17 put him a stroke behind Williamson, forcing Mahan to make a seven-foot birdie putt on 18 to force the play-off. In the play-off, Mahan hit his approach within 12 inches and Williamson missed his birdie putt from seven feet, giving Mahan the win. Williamson is a member of the Nationwide Tour who attended Trinity College in nearby Hartford. He was playing here on a sponsor&aposs exemption. Vijay Singh of Fiji was fourth, five strokes off the pace. Singh started the first round with a birdie on the first hole and a bogey on the second. He then settled down and finished the round with six birdies to post a five-under 65. Fred Funk was six strokes back for fifth place. Bo Van Pelt, Tom Lehman and David Toms finished in a three-way tie for sixth. England&aposs Justin Rose tied for ninth after a final-round 68, while Australians Steve Allan and Mathew Goggin tied for 15th place at five-under-par. Two shots further adrift was compatriot Peter Lonard, Michael Sim and Rod Pampling tied for 36th at one-under-par, while Andrew Buckle finished in equal 46th place at one-over-par. Final results Travelers Championship: -15: Hunter Mahan 62 71 67 65*, Jay Williamson 66 66 67 66 -11: Nick O&aposHern (Australia) 67 70 66 66 -10: Vijay Singh 68 71 66 65 -9: Fred Funk 70 65 67 69 -8: Bo Van Pelt 73 68 67 64, Tom Lehman 67 68 70 67, David Toms 67 65 69 71 -7: B. J. Staten 67 71 69 66, Kevin Na 70 67 69 67, Justin Rose 69 68 68 68, Billy Mayfair 67 72 66 68 Also: -5: Steve Allan(Australia) 66 75 67 67, Mathew Goggin (Australia) 69 71 67 68 -3: Peter Lonard (Australia) 68 69 73 67 -1: Michael Sim (Australia) 65 70 78 66, Rod Pampling(Australia) 66 71 72 70 +1: Andrew Buckle (Australia) 71 70 72 68 *Mahan won on the first play-off hole