Swafford claims first PGA win in 93rd start

Hudson Swafford poses with the trophy after winning the CareerBuilder Challenge golf tournament. (AP)

Hudson Swafford finally joined the winner's circle on Sunday, firing a five-under-par 67 for a one-stroke victory at the PGA Tour's CareerBuilder Challenge.
The 29-year-old American birdied three of his last four holes to claim his maiden USPGA Tour win in his 93rd Tour start.
"This is a dream come true," Swafford said. "I really didn't get ahead of myself, didn't really look at leaderboards, didn't really know where I was."
He compiled a 20-under 268 total to finish one stroke ahead of Canada's Adam Hadwin, who closed with a 70, one day after storming to a 13-under 59 in the third round at the La Quinta Country Club near Palm Springs, California. Bud Cauley and Brian Harman both shot 69s and finished in a tie for third at 18-under 270.
Swafford is in his fourth year on the Tour and had never finished higher than a tie for eighth. In five previous starts this season his best finish was a tie for 13th at last week's Sony Open.
Beginning the day two shots off the lead, Swafford got off to a rocky start with a bogey at the par-four No. 1 before stringing together five straight pars. Swafford then caught fire with a burst of three straight birdies to close out his front nine.
On the par-four seventh, he hit his approach to five feet from the hole then easily made the short birdie putt.
After making birdie on the par-five eighth, he drained a 14-foot putt for birdie on the par-four ninth. "I felt like my posture was good all day, and it just allowed the club to be in a perfect slot," Swafford said. "That's all we focused on this week. I had really good rhythm, was standing tall and was hitting it beautifully.
"I didn't make every putt I looked at, but I felt like I was hitting some pretty good putts, and to make three of the last four, and I felt like I actually made the one on the last hole, it was pretty special."