Las Vegas, NV (SportsNetwork.com) - Ben Martin needed a strong finish on Sunday to claim his first PGA Tour victory at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Martin, who was 1-over par thru 14 holes, played the last four holes in 4- under par en route to shooting 3-under 68. He ended the victory at 20-under- par 268.
"It was an awesome way to finish. I didn't really feel like I had much going all day, but to finish 4-under thru the last four to cap my first win was just awesome," Martin stated. "I got a good read on Russell (Knox's) putt there, so he got an assist there for that '3' (at the 16th)."
The 27-year-old became the 11th player to earn his first PGA Tour title at this event. It was a big rebound after he shot 78-79 last week at the Frys.com Open and missed the cut by 14 strokes.
Kevin Streelman (65) birdied five of the last seven holes at TPC Summerlin to grab second place at minus-18. Knox, who shared the second-round lead, managed a 1-under 70 on Sunday and he took third place at 16-under-par 268.
Last year's winner Webb Simpson briefly grabbed a piece of the lead with a birdie on the 17th, but he bogeyed the last for a 3-under 68. He was joined in fourth place at minus-15 by Jimmy Walker (69) and Brooks Koepka (68).
David Hearn (68), Scott Piercy (69) and Tony Finau (67) tied for seventh place at 14-under-par 270.
Martin opened with a 20-foot birdie putt at the third to move to 18-under, which was good for a 3-stroke lead over Knox. Martin parred five in a row from the third.
At the par-3 eighth, Martin stumbled to a bogey, but was still ahead by three. He tripped to another bogey on No. 11. That trimmed his lead to two. As he parred the next three holes, Streelman joined him in the lead at minus-16.
Streelman, who had two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, converted back- to-back birdies at 12 and 13 to move within two. Streelman birdied 15 and 16 to grab a share of the lead.
He made it three in a row with an 18-foot birdie effort at the 17th. Streelman was briefly ahead by one at that point.
Martin 2-putted for birdie at the short par-4 15th. After Streelman birdied 17 to move one clear, Martin poured in a 46-foot eagle putt on the 16th to jump back into the lead.
After a par on the 17th, Martin drained a 19-footer for birdie at the last to win by two.
"I tried not to (look at the leaderboards). I saw I was still leading after I bogeyed eight. I had been playing the back nine well all week, so I just tried to keep plugging along and let it happen," Martin stated. "To cap it off with a 20-foot at 18 was special."
Streelman, who birdied the final eight holes to win the Travelers Championship in June, parred the final hole to finish in second place.
"I'm super happy with how everything went," said Streelman. "I tried not to look at the leaderboard to be honest. It was kind of like the Travelers this year, I just needed to make as many birdies as possible as quickly as possible. So I just kept attacking and hit some really good putts."
Simpson had a birdie and two bogeys thru 10 holes. He birdied the 13th and 15th to move to 13-under. Simpson made eagle at the par-5 16th and followed with a birdie at 17 to join Streelman and Martin in the lead at minus-16. However, Simpson bogeyed the last to end at 15-under.
NOTES: Martin earned $1.116 million for the victory ... Martin was the fourth straight 54-hole leader to win this event ... The PGA Tour heads to Georgia next week for The McGladrey Classic, where Chris Kirk earned his second PGA Tour title last year as he won by one over Tim Clark and Briny Baird.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.