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 SILVIS, Illinois : Kenny Perry parred the first hole of a playoff to edge American compatriots Brad Adamonis and Jay Williamson and win the 4.2 million dollar PGA John Deere Classic.
Perry won his third title in his past five starts by firing a final round one-under 70 to join the three-way sudden death playoff.
Adamonis also shot 70 while Williamson had a two-under 69 at the Deere Run course. All three players finished 72 holes at 16-under 268.
Perry's productive streak started with a win at The Memorial and he also won his last start, the Buick Open.
After Adamonis and Williamson found the water on 18 in the playoff, Perry played it safe.
Perry could have wrapped up the victory without going into a playoff, but he bogeyed the 18th after needing three shots from 30 feet from the hole.
The bogey opened the door for Adamonis, who had a 20-foot birdie putt on 18 for the win, but he left it well short and then hit his drive to start the playoff into the trees down the right side of the fairway.
Williamson was in the middle of the fairway but pulled his approach into the water and Perry took two putts from 25 feet to wrap up the win.
"I really thought it was my time and I did as much as I could do and it just wasn't quite enough," Williamson said.
"Very disappointed at my second shot in the fairway. I still don't understand. That's golf.
"You know, you watch Kenny Perry make five from 20 feet and I just told my caddie that is why this game is so difficult. For some reason, I just can't believe I hit the ball in the water. Unfortunately, that is what I am going to remember for a while. I have got to get fast that quickly."
Perry started the day in a tie for the lead with Adamonis and Eric Axley, who came up short on a 26-foot birdie putt at 18 that would have put him in the playoff.
"I didn't hit it very well today, just kind of chopped it," Axley said. "I just never got anything going, and just couldn't seem to make that crucial putt I needed to make. Just kind of disappointing."
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