Perry seals River Highlands win with flawless 63

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kenny Perry held off late charges by fellow Americans David Toms and Paul Goydos with a superb all-round display to win the Travelers Championship by three shots in Cromwell, Connecticut on Sunday.
The 48-year-old, who began the final round a stroke off the pace, fired a flawless seven-under-par 63 at the rain-softened TPC River Highlands to clinch his 14th PGA Tour title.
Perry, who needed only 25 putts, birdied four of the last nine holes on a sun-drenched afternoon to set a tournament record total of 22-under 258.
"It`s hard to talk right now," an emotional Perry said in a greenside interview after parring the last and raising both arms in celebration before removing his cap.
"This is as good a win as I`ve ever had, the way I finished today. To shoot 22-under par and break the all-time record of all the great champions that are on this trophy, it`s unbelievable.
"I knew there was so many guys right there in contention who could catch me ... I knew I had to keep making birdies. I wasn`t going to play defensive golf," Perry added, after winning his second title this year.
Toms birdied two of the last four holes for a 65 to finish in a tie for second with 54-hole leader Goydos, who closed with a 67.
American Hunter Mahan, the 2007 champion, signed off with a 64 to share fourth place at 17-under with compatriots Ben Curtis (65) and Ryan Moore (64).
A stroke behind the pacesetting Goydos overnight, Perry took control with three birdies in the first eight holes.
TWO-SHOT SWING
He benefited from a two-shot swing with his birdie at the par-three eighth after playing partner Goydos bogeyed the hole when three-putting from 28 feet.
Two ahead of the chasing pack at the turn, Perry tightened his grip with further birdies on 10 and 11 where he drained putts from 16 and 28 feet.
He lipped out with a long-range birdie attempt at the 14th before sinking an 11-footer at the 15th to forge three strokes clear.
Although Toms cut the deficit to two with a birdie at the par-three 16th, Perry responded at the par-four 17th, hitting a seven-iron approach to eight feet and nervelessly holing the putt.
"That seven-iron was one of the sweetest shots I`ve hit in a long time to give me birdie and a three-shot cushion to make the 18th hole, where I didn`t have to stress out," Perry said.
Goydos covered the last four holes in four under after eagling the 15th but was left to rue missed birdie putts from inside eight feet at the ninth and 17th.  Continued...
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