Herron birdies for playoff win at Colonial

Tim Herron wanted to treat the final round of the Colonial as if he were a member playing a Sunday afternoon round in Fort Worth, Texas.

While it looked exactly like that at times, the player affectionately known as “Lumpy” won on the PGA Tour for the first time in seven years. He beat Richard Johnson with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff, the first time since 1994 extra holes were needed at Hogan’s Alley.

It was Herron’s first win since Bay Hill in 1999. He gets the winner’s plaid jacket and $1.08 million – more than what he got for his three previous wins combined.

Herron (2-under 68) and Johnson (67), who ended regulation tied at 12-under 268, both had long drives on the first playoff hole and had to settle for two-putt pars. They then went to No. 17, where after similar drives Johnson’s approach was 25 feet short of the hole.

At No. 17, Herron hit his tee shot right and his approach left. While Johnson was making a 6-foot birdie on the closing hole, Herron saved par with a clutch 12-foot putt.

Herron missed the green again at No. 18, but chipped to 9 feet and saved par.

Defending champion Kenny Perry, who won by wide margins in 2003 and 2005 with record scores of 19 under, finished at 277 after a round of 71.

Ochoa wins Sybase Classic

Lorena Ochoa extended her impressive run with a two-stroke victory Sunday at the Sybase Classic in New Rochelle, N.Y., the sixth straight tournament in which she has either won or been the runner-up.

The 24-year-old native of Mexico closed a 5-under 66 with a 3-foot birdie putt to win the rain-shortened event and retake the season money lead which she lost last week.

The tournament was shortened to 54 holes after heavy rain and a saturated course wiped out all play on Friday.

Annika Sorenstam, coming off her first missed cut since 2002, was two shots behind Hanna at 3 under before taking a triple-bogey on the par-4 9th.