Flesch finally won at his 174th attempt

Steve Flesch holed a 30-foot birdie putt to beat Bob Estes in a play-off for the Classic of New Orleans and win his first ever title on the PGA Tour.

It was the 174th PGA tournament that Flesch, who had twice been runner-up in New Orleans, had taken part in.

He fired a closing seven-under-par 65 to make the play-off and played the last 54 holes at the English Turn Golf and Country Club without a bogey.

Estes birdied three of his last six holes to close with a 69 and force sudden death.

The two men started the play-off on the 18th, one of the most difficult holes on the course, and when Estes put his approach seven feet nearer the pin than Flesch he looked favourite.

The hole had only yielded two birdies before the play-off on Saturday but Flesch, whose caddy used to work for Estes, judged his putt perfectly to break his PGA duck.

Scott Verplank, who led for the two previous rounds, stumbled to a 74 and finished alone in third at 19-under 269.

Rookie Mark Wilson (69) finished fourth, a stroke further back, with JL Lewis (70) and Jerry Kelly (70) claiming fifth.