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Scott survives shaky finish to win

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ATLANTA, Georgia -- Australian Adam Scott put behind him a frustrating year of several close calls on the PGA Tour with a three-shot victory at the season-ending Tour Championship on Sunday.

The world number four, three strokes clear at the start of the day, survived a nervy finish before completing a four-under-par 66 in the final round at East Lake Golf Club.

Jim Furyk had to settle for second place despite equalling the best round of the week with a five-under-par 65.

However, the American world number two gained double consolation by ending the PGA Tour season a career-high second in the money list and winning the Vardon Trophy for the first time.

"I wanted to go out there, play well and win the golf tournament today, but it's a nice honour," Furyk told reporters after finishing on eight-under 272. "It's icing on the cake for a good year and a consistent year."

The prestigious Vardon Trophy goes to the player with the lowest adjusted scoring average on the PGA Tour and Furyk led the way with 68.86.

Although world number one Tiger Woods achieved a lower average of 68.11 en route to eight titles this season, he did not play in the minimum of 60 official rounds for that to count.

"I'm wondering if anyone is going to put an asterisk on it because Tiger didn't play enough rounds," Furyk added with a smile.

"I just kind of played all year and didn't really worry about it. I've got a good spot for it (the trophy). It'll look nice somewhere."

Furyk, who ended the 2006 season with earnings of $7.21 million, was delighted with his bogey-free performance in the final round.

"I thought Joe and I both did a good job today, putting up some birdies early on the front nine," he added, referring to playing partner Joe Durant who secured third place after closing with a 67.

"But a guy goes out there with a three-shot lead and shoots 66 on this golf course, he's obviously going to win the golf tournament," he said of Scott's path to victory.

Tough to catch

"He did all the things he needed to do to win the golf tournament and played well. A guy gets a three or four-shot lead and he keeps making birdies, he's tough to catch."

Furyk never got closer to Scott than within two strokes in the final round and trailed by five on the back nine.

"He's got a good swing, strikes it well, has some power and has a good short game," the 2003 U.S. Open champion said of the Australian.

"He's very mature for a 26-year-old. He's ahead of himself in years for his maturity on the golf course and the way he plays."

Although 2002 winner and playing partner Vijay Singh briefly trimmed Scott's overnight advantage to two with a birdie at the par-four first, Scott tightened his grip on the tournament with an immaculate display over the first 15 holes.

The 26-year-old reeled off birdies at the third, seventh, ninth and 10th before picking up his fifth shot in spectacular style, holing out from a greenside bunker at the par-four 13th.

Scott parred the next two holes before dropping his only shot of the day at the 16th, where he over-hit the green with his approach.

However, he held his nerve over the difficult closing stretch to secure his long-awaited first PGA Tour title of the year, the eighth by an Australian this season.

Retief Goosen, champion at East Lake two years ago, birdied two of the last four holes for a 67 and fourth spot at six under.

The Tour Championship brings together the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour, although world number one Tiger Woods, third-ranked Phil Mickelson and Canada's Stephen Ames are absent from this year's event.


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Scott carded a final round of 66 to win the Tour Championship by three strokes.

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