Aug 17, 2008 - 9:25 PM
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GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Ticker) - Paul Azinger said he wanted someone to step up at Greensboro and make a case for Ryder Cup selection. But the American captain wasn't talking about the European team.
Carl Pettersson, a Swede who has lived in North Carolina for half his of his 30 years, threw his hat into the crowded Ryder Cup ring when he won the $5.1 million Wyndham Championship on Sunday.
Recovering from two successive soft bogeys that left him behind with seven holes to play, Pettersson roared back with three late birdies to beat Scott McCarron (68) by two strokes, picking up $918,000 for his third PGA Tour victory.
"I'm thrilled. This is home for me," he said after carding 68 to finish at 21-under-par 259, a record low score in the historic event that dates back to 1938.
Pettersson is the third Swede to win on the PGA Tour this year, and the second to prevail in Greensboro, following 1999 champion Jesper Parnevik.
And though Pettersson remains a long shot to earn an automatic berth on the European side, he must be one of the names Nick Faldo will consider when he makes his two captain's picks in two weeks.
Pettersson, who moved to Greensboro at the age of 15 when his father, a Volvo executive, received a job transfer, admits he feels more American than European, but that doesn't mean he wants to sit out the Ryder cup.
"I'm Swedish, but I really feel American, to be honest with you," he said. "My heritage is European and I would love to play on Nick's team. I'm going to be playing hard for Europe if I make that team."
Pettersson began the final round with a two-stroke lead over McCarron, who quickly erased the deficit with two early birdies.
Pettersson edged one-stroke clear at the turn, before making a mess of the next two holes, three-putting from the fringe at No. 10 and dropping another shot at No. 11 after missing the green and then hitting a mediocre chip.
Suddenly, McCarron had the lead and the momentum, and he sensed a chance to go further ahead after hitting his tee shot to 10-feet at the par-3 12th.
Pettersson sprayed his tee shot right of the green and chipped down to 13 feet. He was in deep trouble, potentially on the verge of going three shots down, but he coolly drained the par putt. McCarron subsequently missed not only his birdie chance, but also a three-footer to save par, walking off with a demoralizing bogey that left them tied.
"I think that was the turning point, me making par there on 12," said Pettersson. "I told myself on the next tee box I've got to put the pressure on Scott and hit a great tee shot. I had momentum and I felt I had to be aggressive on that hole."
McCarron, who hasn't won since 2001 and is on the comeback after major elbow surgery two years ago, admitted he blew it on No. 12.
"I let it go at 12," he said. "Carl played well but I certainly had my chances today.
"Second place is tough to swallow right now but I'll probably be pretty happy when I realize I've got a job for next year. That was my goal coming back from rehab."
Rich Beem roared home with a 63 to finish third at 17-under, earning a spot in the FedEx Cup, the tour's four-event playoff series that starts on Thursday at The Barclays.
