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Graeme McDowell holds his nerve to win RBC Heritage play-off

McDowell beat Webb Simpson in the first play-off hole at Hilton Head, South Carolina tonight.

GRAEME MCDOWELL HELD his nerve to win a dramatic play-off and pocket a $1 million prize at the RBC Heritage tonight.

A par four on the first play-off hole was enough for McDowell to beat Webb Simpson, sealing his first win on the PGA Tour since the 2010 US Open.

Luke Donald and Kevin Streelman shared third place on seven-under-par, two shots behind McDowell and Simpson.

“It was really tricky and gusty,” McDowell said after posting an excellent 69 for his final round in difficult conditions at Hilton Head.

“I’m just really happy to get my first authentic PGA Tour win over the line.”

A closing birdie on Saturday left McDowell in contention at the start of the final round, four shots behind overnight leader Charley Hoffman.

With the wind swirling around the South Carolina course, he seized his chance and was flawless through his first 17 holes, posting birdies at the fifth, 11th and 16th to move to the top of the leaderboard.

But after overhitting his approach to the back of the 18th, the adrenaline appeared to get to McDowell who rocketed his first putt 15 feet past the hole, leading to his first bogey of the day.

That left the door open for Simpson who sank his putt at the last for a round of level-par 71 and set up a showdown between the two former US Open champions.

After the drama of the nine additional holes needed to decide Sunday’s Spanish Open, the finale in America was short and sweet by comparison. A well-struck approach from the 18th fairway gave McDowell a chance to putt for birdie and the win.

Though his first attempt came up a couple of inches short, Simpson’s bogey five was enough to hand the man from Portrush his first win of the season.

“I played nicely. I played nicely all week,” he told CBS afterwards.

“I sat down with Jim Furyk on Tuesday in a Q&A we did for RBC and he said: ‘You’re never out of this tournament. You’ve just got to hang around and hang around’ and I did that.”

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