Furyk rallies for win at Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio, May 26 (UPI) -- Jim Furyk used two spectacular shots on the back nine to break away from a huge pack of challengers Sunday and claim a two-shot victory at The Memorial.

Struggles by the third-round leaders and tremendous playing by some of those back in the pack turned the final round into a shootout at the Muirfield Village Golf Club.

As the final group of the day was playing the eighth hole, there were 13 players within two shots of the lead.

But Furyk played a nine-hole stretch beginning at the eighth in 7-under en route to a 65 that gave him a winning total of 14-under 274.

The highlights of his back-nine 32 were a chip-in for birdie at the par-3 12th and a bunker shot at the par-5 15th that trickled into the hole for an eagle. When Furyk holed a 20-foot for birdie at the par-3 16th, he owned a three-shot advantage that allowed him to overcome a bogey at the 17th.

David Peoples, one of seven players who had at least a share of the lead during the final day, shared second place at 276. Peoples had the lead by himself after a birdie at the 12th en route to a 68. Cook shot a 69.

David Duval, who began the day tied for 21st place, briefly had a piece of the lead and wound up tied for fourth three shots behind Furyk. Duval, seeking his first win of the year, suffered two bogeys on the back nine and failed to birdie the relatively easy 15th hole and still shot a 66.

Harrison Frazar, Shigeki Maruyama, Vijay Singh and third-round leader Bob Tway shared fourth place with Duval.

Tiger Woods, who was trying to become only the third player in history to win a PGA Tour event four straight years but who was never in contention after shooting a 74 Thursday, had a 66 and finished tied for 22nd.

"I made some good early saves at the fourth and fifth holes that kept me going," said Furyk, whose previous best finish this year had been fourth at the Mercedes Championship.

"Then I birdied the eighth and ninth and looked at the scoreboard. I realized some of the leaders were falling back. And when I went birdie-eagle-birdie at the 14th, 15th and 16th, I went from one behind to three in front. It was an exciting day.

"Those shots at the 12th and 15th were huge. Neither of those balls were dying into the hole. They hit the pin fairly hard. But you need breaks like that."

It was Furyk's seventh tour victory and gives him at least one in each of the last five years.