The Trinidad and Tobago-born pro golfer prevailed over Justin Leonard and George McNeill to win with a par on the second playoff hole, the par-three 15th, on a sun-kissed day at Disney World.

It was the second time in three years the 45-year-old Ames won this event, following his one-stroke win over Tim Clark of South Africa in the 2007 edition.

It was also the fourth career PGA Tour victory for the naturalised Canadian, after he also captured the Western Open five years ago and The Players Championship-considered the fifth major on the PGA Tour-two years later.

’I played well [on Sunday], except for a hiccup on the eighth hole,’ he said.

’At the end of [Saturday], I knew if I shot 64, I had a good chance of winning the tournament. Sure enough, I ended up shooting a 64, which was great.’

Ames grabbed the clubhouse lead with a final round of eight-under 64 before the two Americans both shot 67 to tie with him. They all finished 72 holes at 18-under 270.

Leonard had a chance to win the tournament even before it reached the playoff, but his 16-foot birdie putt on the final hole lipped out, sending the final Tour event of the year into overtime.

The playoff came down to a two-man race, after Leonard bogeyed the first playoff hole-the par-four 18th-then McNeill rimmed out a six-foot putt on the second playoff hole to allow Ames to collect the winner’s cheque of US$846,000.

’A lot of good things came out of this event for me,’ said Ames. ’We have been working hard over the last three months trying to get rid of the [problems] in my game.

’It’s a nice feeling to win again. I have played well. I had a fun week because I had my ten-year-old son with me and this victory is just icing on the cake for me.’

Ames had started the final round tied for eighth three shots behind the leaders-Leonard, McNeill, Justin Rose, and Mathias Gronberg-but played steadily throughout the day to put himself in contention.

Starting on the front nine, he sunk four birdies in the first seven holes, but stumbled on the par-five eighth hole with a bogey before he picked up five shots in the last seven holes to put pressure on the remainder of the field before Leonard and McNeill forced the playoff.

-CMC