eun captured the $5.5 million Honda Classic at PGA National on Sunday to become just the second South Korean winner on the US PGA Tour. Yang, ranked 460th in the world, two-putted from 50 feet at the 18th hole to complete a two-under-par round of 68 and nine-under 271 total at Palm Beach Gardens, a stroke ahead of American John Rollins. The 37-year-old, who joined K.J. Choi as the only South Koreans to win US PGA Tour events, pumped his fists and slapped hands with spectators after tapping in for victory. “I feel very relieved. All of the pressure is off my shoulders,” Yang told reporters. “What I did when I clapped all of the fans after I won, I did that out of pure emotions.” Rollins, playing in the group ahead of Yang, birdied the par five 18th for a 67 and combined total of 272, while American Ben Crane shot 68 to finish third on 274. Yang led by a stroke entering the final round and took command by making three birdies in a row from the second hole. A birdie at the 12th gave him a four-shot lead. “Up until the last four holes, I had a lot of fun,” Yang joked about the tense finish. Bogeys at the 15th and 17th, watery holes in a treacherous trio known as “The Bear Trap” on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, increased the pressure on Yang as he approached the 72nd hole with only a one-shot cushion. A solid drive and layup on the 544-yard hole left him 111 yards short of the pin. Yang put his approach 50 feet left of the cup but his lag putt settled just a foot away and he rattled it home to claim the $1 million top prize. The victory also put Yang into next week's world golf championship event at Doral and gave him a berth in next month's Masters at Augusta National. The South Korean, who earned his US Tour card at Qualifying School, had previously made his biggest splash by beating a field that included Tiger Woods at the 2006 HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai. Rollins said he thought he was playing the last holes for second place before Yang began to slip with some errant tee shots and set up a possible playoff if he bogeyed the last. “I went out and watched him hit his first putt, saw he lagged it down to a foot, and once he hit the first putt, I knew it was over and walked away,” Rollins said. The 33-year-old American, twice a winner on the PGA Tour and runner-up also at the 2009 Buick Invitational, saluted Yang. “He's played great this week on a tough golf course,” he said.
