Boo Weekley won his second straight Verizon Heritage — and didn't need any dramatic chip-ins to do it.
Weekley captured his second career PGA Tour title at Harbour Town Golf Links on Sunday, shooting an even-par 71 for a three-shot victory over Anthony Kim (71) and Aaron Baddeley (69).
A year ago, Weekley needed miraculous chips on the 71st and 72nd holes to edge Ernie Els by a stroke. In this one, Weekley took a three-shot lead into the final round and watched it grow by mostly staying trouble free, and seeing competitors struggle to try and catch up.
"It was a lot easier than last year, wasn't it?" a smiling Weekley said to his group on the 17th hole after his routine par.
Kim trailed by three at the start and, paired with Weekley, was in the best spot to pressure the leader. But Kim's chance at a first PGA Tour title disappeared with a double bogey on the par-4 ninth.
Jim Furyk, ranked ninth in the world, was the hardest charger early, cutting a six-stroke deficit in half with three birdies in the first five holes. Furyk, though, fell back with a bogey on the 11th.
He shot a 69 to finish fourth, his third top-five finish in the past four Verizon Heritages.
No one else, including former Verizon Heritage champs Baddeley and Stewart Cink, could make a run at Weekley.
"I just struggled," Weekley said. "I reckon everybody struggled."
Not that Weekley didn't add his own pizazz to the round. He made bogey on No. 8 after botching a chip, then looked in trouble on the 10th with a difficult pitch over a bunker. And Weekley killed it — right into the cup for a birdie that put him up by five.
Weekley grinned as the gallery chanted his name over and over.
He did it again four holes later, slam dunking a 30-footer for birdie from the fringe that if it didn't hit the cup might have rolled into the water off the edge of the peninsula green.
Again, the crowd ate it up as Weekley pumped his fists in celebration.
Weekley earned $990,000, and a second straight invitation to the Masters. He tied for 20th at Augusta National to miss qualifying for 2009.
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