Portugal Colonial - Rookie Mouw rallies to win first PGA Tour title in Kentucky

Mouw started the final round seven shots off the pace, but eight birdies in the first 13 holes at Hurstbourne Country Club in Louisville saw him power to the top of the leaderboard.

He walked off the 18th with a 10-under par total of 270 but had to wait two hours to see if his three-shot lead would hold up.

"I did all I can out there and played really good golf and left it all out there," Mouw said. "I guess I broke the course record, too, which is cool."

Paul Peterson, the 37-year-old tour rookie who led by one after completion of the weather-disrupted third round on Sunday morning, made it an anxious wait.

Peterson bounced back from two early bogeys with three birdies on the back nine. He pulled within one stroke with a 31-foot birdie at 16 but could get no closer.

"It's tough to come up short," Peterson said. "But I played some good golf this week. I'm proud of what I did."

Having started the round so far back, Mouw said he wasn't thinking too much about his position until a fan informed at the 12th that he was in the lead.

"Knowing you're in the lead on 12 and having seven holes to play and playing very, very good golf coming in is definitely the best round I played," said Mouw, who added his final birdie at the 17th.

Mouw's previous best finish was a tie for sixth at the Puerto Rico Open in March.

The Californian had gained dubious fame in January when he posted an octuple bogey 13 during the second round of the American Express, earning kudos for his ability to laugh at the disaster.

On Sunday, his first win had him fighting back tears.

"I worked very hard for this," Mouw said.

L.Mesquita--PC