Arjun Atwal becomes first qualifier in 24 years to win PGA Tour event

Journeyman professional golfer Arjun Atwal became the first qualifier in 24 years to win a PGA Tour event on Sunday, shooting a three-under-par 67 to secure a one-shot victory at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.

Atwal, who also became the first India-born player to win on the Tour, finished with a 20-under 260 to earn a total of $918,000, more than double his earnings this year.

The 38-year-old had to qualify for the tournament on Monday because he had lost his Tour card because of a lack of earnings, becoming the first qualifier to win since Fred Wadsworth won at the 1986 Southern Open.

“I told my caddy, we got nothing to lose this week,” Atwal said. “We just — just go out there and try to win it. Guys are going to be out there trying to secure their FedExCup spots or whatever. We got nothing to do. I don’t have a card or anything. Just go out and free wheel it. That’s what I did, basically, this week.”

Atwal is a winner on the Nationwide, European and Asian tours, but his friendship with Tiger Woods and his role in a deadly car accident in 2007 is probably what he was best known for until now.

He was involved in what police described as a street racing incident in Orlando, Fla., that left a man dead. He was later cleared on any wrongdoing.

Atwal briefly discussed the accident during a news conference Saturday.

“I didn’t do anything wrong and the other person didn’t,” Atwal said. “It was no one’s fault. It was an accident. That was it.”

Atwal carried a three-stroke lead into the final round, but fell into a seven-way tie for the lead after bogeying on the 12th hole. He reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 14 and moved to 20 under with a birdie on the par-three No. 16.

David Toms finished at 19 under with a round of 64 and John Mallinger, Michael Sims, John Rollins and Justin Leonard tied at 18 under.

The Wyndham Championship was the last event players were eligible to pick up points for next week’s playoffs in New Jersey.

Funk wins major

Fred Funk shot a three-under-par 69 to win the Jeld Wen Tradition by one stroke over Michael Allen and Chien Soon Lu at the Crosswater Golf Club in Sunriver, Ore. It was the second time in three years that Funk has won the Champions Tour event, which is the fourth of five senior majors.

Funk took the lead on the back nine when he birdied No. 16, a 595-yard par five, by sinking a 15-foot putt. He closed his round by two-putting from 40 feet on No. 18 to finish at 12-under 276. Lu, who shot a 69, almost made a 40-foot chip shot at No. 18 that would have tied Funk. Allen was at 12-under but bogeyed No. 16 to fall one shot back.

Tom Lehman, the third-round leader, was trying to win his second major of the year but shot a 74 to finish in a tie for fourth with Mark Calcavecchia.

Miyazato back at No. 1

Ai Miyazato’s fifth tournament victory of the year may have been her sweetest of the season. The Japanese star shot an even-par 72 to win the Safeway Classic at North Plains, Ore., and in the process took back the No. 1 spot in the world rankings from Cristie Kerr, who finished in a tie for second with Na Yeon Choi.

Kerr, who fired a 70, got into trouble on the par-four No. 18 when she hit her ball in the water on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.

Miyazato, who led all three rounds, finished at 11-under par. Kerr shot a 70 and Choi a 71.