Tom Purtzer finally closed the deal at the 3M Championship, holing a 7-foot par putt on No. 18 Sunday for a one-stroke victory in the tournament he twice led into the final round.
The win was Purtzer's first on the Champions Tour since March 2004. It didn't come without thoughts about the last two years, when he was the leader entering the final round but shot 74 both times.
Purtzer's lead after this second round was three shots, but it was down to one as he went to the 18th tee at the TPC of the Twin Cities.
Purtzer left his 20-foot birdie putt on No. 18 short by 7 feet, but he made the par save to close a 3-under 69 and avoid a playoff with a 15-under 201 total.
Lonnie Nielsen and Craig Stadler tied for second at 14 under.
Nielsen eagled No. 18 with a long putt for a 67 that gave him his best finish on either tour. He didn't finish in the top four in six years on the PGA Tour (1978-83) and didn't finish that high in 32 starts on the Champions Tour.
Stadler shot a 67 and finished second for the second straight year.
Purtzer's previous final-round problems left him 10th in 2003, and third last year.
The $262,500 winner's check gave Purtzer $850,000 this year. He's on pace to post his best season since joining the over-50 tour in 2002.
Graham Marsh was fourth at 13 under after shooting a 65, the day's best round. In his last 6 years on tour, the 61-year-old Marsh had just three runner-up finishes. He started the final round tied for 14th but had two birdies and an eagle over his first three holes. He charged into contention later with four consecutive birdies starting at No. 13.
Purtzer opened with a 9-under 63 that included a hole-in-one and matched the low round in tournament history. He became just the third first-round leader or co-leader to win in the 13-year history of the tournament.
Purtzer's last Champions Tour win at the Toshiba Senior Classic. He tied for 44th at last week's U.S. Senior Open, and he had two previous top-8 finishes this year. Six weeks ago he lost in a playoff to Mark McNulty at the Bank of America Championships.
Tom Purtzer finally closed the deal at the 3M Championship, holing a 7-foot par putt on No. 18 Sunday for a one-stroke victory in the tournament he twice led into the final round.