Davis penalty helps Furyk win Heritage

Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself on the first playoff hole Sunday to give Jim Furyk a victory at the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Davis, an Englishman who has never won on the PGA Tour, birdied the 72nd hole to force the extra hole. However, Davis’ approach rolled off the green of the lighthouse hole and into some rocks.

As Davis attempted to chip on, his wedge moved a loose reed in the marshy area. Davis quickly called for a rules official, who called colleagues to check the replay, then confirmed the penalty.

Davis conceded to Furyk before the world’s sixth-ranked player putted out.

Furyk shot a 2-under 69 to finish at 13-under 271. He earned $1,026,000 for his second victory of the season and 15th overall on the PGA Tour.

Davis closed with a 68.

Champions Tour

Bernhard Langer won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am when the final round was rained out at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla.

Langer, the German star who won the Allianz Championship in February in Boca Raton, opened with rounds of 67 and 66 to finish at 9-under 133. He has 10 Champions Tour victories in 51 career starts.

Mark O’Meara and Mike Reid tied for second, a stroke back.

Fred Couples, trying to match the tour record for victories in consecutive starts of four set by Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1987, finished 12th at 4 under.

China Open

South Korea’s Y.E. Yang won the China Open at Suzhou, shooting a 1-under 71 for a two-stroke victory over Welshmen Rhys Davies and Stephen Dodd.

Yang, eighth last week at the Masters, made his only bogey of the weekend on Jinji Lake’s tough 18th hole, leaving him with a 15-under 273 total.

Davies closed with a 67, and Dodd shot a 69 in the event sanctioned by the European and OneAsia tours.