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A tap-in on the final green secured the 3M Championship for Tom Pernice Jr. The final putt a hole earlier was his most-important stroke.
Pernice birdied the final two holes Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Jeff Sluman and Corey Pavin. He finished with a 4-under 68 and had a 17-under 199 total at the TPC Twin Cities for his second career Champions Tour victory.
Trailing Sluman by one shot at the par-3 17th, Pernice played it safe with his tee shot to the middle of the green. He then made about a 40-foot slightly downhill putt to move into a tie.
"That really set everything up. It gave me a chance to make birdie on the last to win, which is a lot better than having to make birdie to get into a playoff," said Pernice, who also made a similar distance putt on Saturday to salvage bogey on No. 14.
At the par-5 18th, Pernice hit his second shot from 200 yards to 8 feet and two-putted for the winning birdie. It was his first win in 51 events dating to the 2009 SAS Championship, his first event as a member of the Champions Tour.
"I'm just thrilled to be able to finally get the victory. It's been a long, long spell," he said.
Pernice also has two PGA Tour victories.
Sluman closed with a 62, and Pavin had a 66.
Read more http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/9538428/tom-pernice-jr-wins-champions-tour-3m-championship
