New Zealand golfer Tim Wilkinson has come up one shot short of winning his first Nationwide Tour event today, finishing third in the Oregon Classic.
The Palmerston North left-hander played in the final group with American Ricky Barnes after sharing the third-round lead.
Barnes birdied the par five 18th to
get into a playoff with compatriot Cliff Kresge. Wilkinson parred the 18th, when a birdie would have seen him join the playoff.
His three-under final round 69 left him on a four-round total of 272, 16-under for the United States tour event.
Wilkinson, who was 109th on the Nationwide Tour money list going into the event, today had four birdies and a sole bogey.
Last year, he was second with a round to play in the same event, before being denied the chance to challenge for the title when heavy rain forced officials to cancel the round.
The tournament was worth US$450,000 ($690,000).
Another New Zealander, Steve Alker, slipped down the leaderboard to 27th with a closing round of 73, one-over par.
Wilkinson posted just two bogies in four days.
Before today's round he had gone birdie-eagle-birdie on the par-five 18th.
- NZPA
