Wes Short Jr. birdies final hole to win Shaw Charity Classic

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Wes Short Jr. made a short birdie putt on the final hole to win the Shaw Charity Classic on Sunday.

His final-round 4-under 66 gave him a 13-under 267 total, one shot ahead of defending champion Scott McCarron.

Short got a fortunate break when his second shot on the par 5, 18th hole just cleared the water before bouncing off a rock and onto the green. After his eagle attempt came up short, he tapped in a three-foot putt.

The start of the final round of the three-day event was delayed by 30 minutes due to thick fog and golfers also had to battle chilly conditions at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club until it warmed up in the afternoon.

Short’s final round included six birdies and two bogeys to give the 55-year-old golfer from Austin, Texas, just his second-ever PGA Tour Champions victory. His last one was also in Canada at the 2014 Quebec Championship.

McCarron rolled in a 39-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole to card a round of 5-under 65, which pulled him into a tie for the lead with Short and Tom Gillis at 12 under. He then watched as Short made his clutch birdie, while Gillis fell back into fourth at 10 under with a double bogey on the last hole.

Second-round leader Steve Flesch shot 69 to fall back into third at 11 under. Joe Durant, Billy Andrade and Tom Byrum finished in a tie for fifth at 9 under.

Canadian Golf Hall of Fame member and former Calgary resident Stephen Ames had a 69 to finish in a tie for 29th with six others at 3 under.

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