Flesch is a winner by two shots over Allen

Steve Flesch, who missed the cut in half of the first 20 PGA Tour events he entered this year, continued his resurgence Sunday, shooting a one-over-par 73 to beat Michael Allen by two shots and win the inaugural Turning Stone Resort Championship at Verona, N.Y.

It was the left-hander’s second PGA Tour victory of the year, and the $1.08-million payday boosted his earnings for 2007 to $2.2 million to vault him from 70th on the money list to 25th.

“Eight weeks ago, I was fighting to keep my job out here,” said Flesch, who also earned a spot in the U.S. Open next year as a multiple winner since the last Open. “I wasn’t playing great, missing a lot of cuts by a shot. And when I did make a cut, I was shooting even par on the weekend. You’re just waving guys by when that happens.

“It’s funny. This game is all confidence,” Flesch said. “One little spark can turn your year around, turn your game around.”

It was Flesch’s fourth victory on the PGA Tour and marked the third straight time he has won after holding the 54-hole lead.

It was a banner day, too, for the 48-year-old Allen (68), who last year made his 13th trip to the Q-school finals and earned his PGA Tour card for a record ninth time. Although Allen failed to get his first victory, he earned $648,000 to boost his earnings to a career-high $960,297, inside the top 100 on the money list.

Mark Wiebe became the 12th Champions Tour player to win in his first start on the 50-and-over circuit, leading wire-to-wire in a record victory in the SAS Championship at Cary, N.C.

Wiebe, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, closed with a five-under 67 for a tournament record 18-under 198 total on the Prestonwood Country Club course. He beat Dana Quigley by three strokes to take the $300,000 first-place check.

Wiebe matched Bobby Wadkins as the tour’s youngest winner at 50 years, 10 days.

He also became the first player to win on a sponsor exemption since Christy O’Connor Jr. in the 1999 State Farm Senior Classic.

Lee Westwood of England won the British Masters by five strokes at Sutton Coldfield, England, finishing with a seven-under 65 after making two big putts on the last three holes.

Ian Poulter (70) was second at 278. Mark Foster, the leader after the third round, shot a 74 and finished third, one behind Poulter.