Korean-born Na claims first PGA title

South Korean-born American Kevin Na won his first US PGA Tour title of an eight-year career, firing a six-under par 65 Sunday to win the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Na, playing only a 10-minute drive from his home, had been winless in 210 US PGA events before claiming the $756,000 top prize from the $4.4 million event by finishing 72 holes on 23-under 261, two strokes atop American Nick Watney. "Oh wow," Na said. "I went through a lot. I had nightmares finishing second. I used to tell my mother, 'As hard as I work, when am I going to get my first win?' Other people believed in me more than myself." Deadlocked with Watney at 20-under with four holes remaining, Na responded with three birdies in a row. Na curled in a 42-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th to seize a two-stroke edge and matched Watney's par at 18 for the crown. Na, a three-time career PGA runner-up who was most recently second-placed at last year's Arnold Palmer Invitational, had been third on the list of money winners without a tour title at more than $10.2 million. Watney, who won the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship at Doral in March and the AT&T National in July, shared the lead with Na when the day began and fired a bogey-free 67 but could not become the PGA's first three-time winner of the season. Na birdied three of the first four holes to seize a two-stroke lead over Watney but could not pull away. Na answered a bogey at the par-4 sixth with birdies at seven and the par-5 ninth. But when Na took a bogey at the par-3 14th, he fell back into a share of the lead at 20-under with Watney, who birdied the third, seventh and par-5 13th to keep the pressure on Na. Na responded with three birdies in a row, the last of them coming on a 42-foot putt at the par-3 17th to reach 23-under and seize a two-stroke edge on Watney, who only birded the par-5 16th, as they approached the 18th tee. Na had not three-putted all week and did not falter at the finish. Watney missed a 26-foot birdie putt to ease the pressure on Na, who dropped a six-foot par putt to complete the triumph. Americans Tommy Gainey and Paul Goydos shared third on 266, one stroke ahead of compatriots Spencer Levin and Tim Herron, Canada's David Hearn, Sweden's Carl Pettersson and Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas.