Senden seals maiden PGA victory

Senden survived late pressure to clinch the John Deere title

R4 LEADERBOARD:
-19 J Senden (Aus)
-18 JP Hayes (US)
-16 A Cejka (Ger), H Slocum (US)
-15 J Riegger, BJ Staten (US)

Australian John Senden held his nerve to win his maiden PGA Tour title at the John Deere Classic - and with it a chance to play in the Open at Hoylake.

Senden held off a strong challenge from American JP Hayes to card a 68 for a 19 under par total and one-shot victory.

Hayes' 65 sealed outright second, with Germany's Alex Cejka and American Heath Slocum tied for third two shots back.

Senden can now travel to Britain to take his place in the field for the Open, which begins on Thursday.

The Brisbane-born player, who turned pro in 1992, led overnight by four shots.

He got his final round off to a good start with birdies at the first two holes, and then added another at the seventh.

However, a bogey on the ninth gave the chasing pack some hope.

Hayes took advantage with birdies at the 11th and 14th before joining Senden at the top of the leaderboard with a four on the par-five 17th.

Senden followed suit after a 326-yard drive helped set up a two-putt birdie, and he then saved par on the 18th from a greenside bunker to seal victory.