Coles holds on at Dye's Valley for fifth career win

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Chris Condon/PGA TOUR

Gavin Coles is in position for a return to the PGA TOUR after his win at Dye's Valley.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Australian Gavin Coles carded a 1-over-par 71 in windy conditions to best Jonas Blixt by one shot and win the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters at 6 under. The victory is the first of the year for Coles on the Nationwide Tour and moves the veteran to No. 15 on the money list entering next week's season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island. The top-25 money winners after next week's finale will earn PGA TOUR cards for the 2012 season.

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Coles certainly had to earn his fifth-career victory on the Nationwide Tour, clipping Blixt on a difficult day for scoring on the Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass. Wind gusts topped out at 20 mph, leading to a final-round scoring average of 71.949 (+1.949). For the week, Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass played to an average of 72.368 (+2.368), the highest of the season on the Nationwide Tour.

"The golf course played hard," Coles said after the victory. "The greens were fast and you had to hit it in the right spots to make birdies. It was a tough test, and having said that, I don't feel like I played all that well in terms of hitting it close."

Coles didn't give himself many birdie chances on the front nine, going out in 1-over 36 with a bogey at the par-4 4th resulting from a wayward drive. Coles dropped a second shot at the par-4 15th and stood on the 16th tee nursing a one-shot advantage over Blixt. The pair matched birdies on the par-5, Coles' first of the day, before the 43-year-old from New South Wales took control on the penultimate hole. Coles hit a 7-iron to 30 feet and converted the putt to push his advantage to two with one hole to play.

"It's funny, I didn't think I could leave that putt on No. 17 short, and I'd been leaving putts short all day," Coles remarked. "I just picked my line, hit it out there and it went in."

The two-shot advantage heading to the last proved critical for Coles, who hit a "bunt" driver into the right rough on the 72nd hole and faced a difficult 40-footer over a ridge for his birdie attempt. Blixt, who found the fairway, was unable to apply pressure after his approach missed the green to the right. Coles lagged his approach putt to 6 feet and then watched as Blixt failed to hole out for birdie. Knowing he had two putts for the victory, Coles failed to convert the par attempt, but tapped in for bogey and the one-shot triumph.

"I thought I hit my approach in the right spot and then it rolled all the way down that ridge," Coles said. "I hit just a bit of a bump on that second putt. I wasn't too worried when I knew I had two putts from there to win."

Coles will look to return to the PGA TOUR for the fifth time next week in Charleston. He graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

With the runner-up finish, his third of the year on the Nationwide Tour, Blixt improves to No. 5 on the money list and will advance to the PGA TOUR for the first time in 2012. Though still in search of his first victory, Blixt was able to find a silver lining after the round.

"It's good to be there on Sunday and get the experience of being under pressure," said Blixt. "It's time for me to win and pull one of these out."

David Lingmerth's solo 3rd is his best finish on the Nationwide Tour this season in 25 starts, including this week. With the finish he moved to No. 75 on the money list to No. 50, securing his position in the field next week in Charleston.

Final-Round Notes

• With the completion of Sunday's final round, the top-60 players on the Nationwide Tour money list have advanced to the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island next week in Charleston, S.C. There were two players that played their way in to next week's field. They are:

• There were two players that fell out of the top 60 following the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open.

• Tim Wilkinson (No. 63) and Brian Stuard (No. 66) barely missed making the field for the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island despite solid weeks at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters. They finished T11 and T7, respectively.

• Billy Hurley III is the man on the bubble at No. 25 on the money list entering next week's Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island. He finished T55 at 12-over par at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters and is looking to advance to the PGA TOUR for the first time in his career.

• The winning score of 6-under-par 274 is the highest of the season on the Nationwide Tour and highest in relation to par since Bill Lunde won the 2008 Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational at 5-under-par 279.

• Tommy Biershenk made five consecutive 3s on Nos. 12 through No. 16 en route to his round of 69. He finished T4 at 3 under and advances to the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island at No. 28 on the money list.

• Coles' victory is his first on the Nationwide Tour since the 2008 Chitimacha Louisiana Open, a span of 53 starts. His five-career victories are tied for third-most in Nationwide Tour history.

• Jonas Blixt collected his third runner-up finish of the season and seventh top 10, tied for second-most on the Nationwide Tour this year (Danny Lee -- 8). He is in good shape to advance to the PGA TOUR for the first time at No. 5 on the money list.

• B.J. Staten fired the low-round of the day Sunday, a 6-under 64, equaling the low round of the tournament.

• With the 64, Staten jumped from T54 to T18 at 2-over. The course record at Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass is 63, posted by 2010 winner David Mathis in the second round.

• Eight players with ties to northeast, Florida or southeast Georgia advanced to the weekend at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open. Here is a look at how they finished:

• As part of the Nationwide Tour's support and appreciation for the military, Sunday's final round at The Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open honored Naval troops stationed at Naval Station Mayport, just north of the course. The trio of MASN Harley Lowe, MASN Anne Poindexter and DC 2 (SW) Adam Hardy were presented the flagstick, draped by the American flag, by the caddie from each group on the 18th hole as the golfers prepared to putt.

• Bubba Dickerson drew laughter from the gallery on the 18th green when after chipping up his third shot from the rough near the bleachers, he started to tap in his par putt with a sand wedge as his caddie was busy raking a bunker.

"I could have knocked it in with the wedge," said Dickerson. "but with my luck the way I putted this week, I would have missed it."

Sporting a couple days of growth of his red whiskers, Dickerson said, "Not even the rally beard could help me today. It worked Friday when I shot 67 but I can't think of any putt over four feet that I made the last couple of days."

The Hilliard native shot even par to finish in the middle of the pack Sunday, but was happy to have friends and family out to see him -- including wife Mindy, 5-year-old son Gage and 8-year-old daughter Avery.

Dickerson heads to Daniel Island for the Tour Championship next week. "I can make some putts and keep hitting it the way I have been, I'll be fine."

• Paul Claxton somehow found a way to post a 69 on what he calls "the fastest greens I've ever been on."

Claxton said the terrain is similar to the courses he plays on in nearby Sea Island, but much faster.

"I love the course and I think the staff has done a great job. If you have slope or wind, I don't know if they can be measured."

Claxton heads to Daniel Island for the Tour Championship, adding, "I'll give it all I have next week and see what happens. If I finish inside the top 40, I'll be exempt to the final stage of q-school. That's something else I'm focusing on if I can't get into The 25."

Michael Curet contributed to the final-round notes.