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Swafford claims first PGA win in 93rd start

Los Angeles - The American birdied three of his last four holes to claim his maiden win

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."