Todd runs away to six-shot victory at Willow Creek

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SANDY, Utah -- The big news in Sandy at the beginning of the week was local woman Jessica Robinson becoming the first $1 million winner on the TV game show "Deal or No Deal." The big news here at the end of the week is Brendon Todd closed the deal, and won for the first time on the Nationwide Tour at the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank.

Brendon Todd's six-shot win was the second-largest margin of victory this season. (Martin/Getty Images)

Inside the Numbers

Todd's Final Stats

Category Total Rank Eagles 1 T9 Birdies 24 T1 Pars 43 T41 Bogeys 4 T52 Double Bogeys 0 N/A Other 0 N/A Driving Accuracy 75.0% T5 Driving Distance 291.4 yds. 56 Greens in Regulation 81.9% T3 Putts per Round 28.8 T18 Putts per GIR 1.678 14 Sand Saves 50.0% T24

Todd (67), from Atlanta, Ga., shot a tournament record 22-under 262, winning by six strokes, the second-largest winning margin this year, beating Franklin Langham's 2007 winning total by two strokes.

Won Joon Lee (64) shot the low round of the day to tie for second at 16-under 268 with Jeff Klauk (65), Ryan Hietala (66), Kyle Thompson (71), Marc Leishman (72) and Brian Smock (66), who got into the tournament late Wednesday as an alternate.

Six players, including Clay Ogden from Utah, tied for eighth at 15-under 269.

It was an emotional win for Todd, who shared the victory with his fiancee, Rachel Moore. They are due to be married Mar. 14 next year. Asked if he had checked next year's PGA TOUR schedule, Todd said "We have, but we're not changing it."

Todd was flawless at Willow Creek Country Club, making one birdie in the first 12 holes, before closing with three more over the last six in his bogey-free round.

"Anytime you're in the last group and you haven't won, it's a new feeling," said the University of Georgia standout. "The biggest thing for me this week was staying patient and staying out of my own way. It gives me a confidence boost for the rest of the year."

Todd vaulted from 53rd to 15th on the money list with the $99,000 winner's check and is now comfortably inside The 25 with a good chance to advance to the PGA TOUR.

Lee, a South Korean who resides in Sydney, Australia, and ranks first in driving distance, took advantage of his length on the par 5s at Willow Creek. He shot 6-under 30 on his final nine.

"I played the par 5s 16 under this week. Yesterday was disappointing -- I only played them 1 under. There's only five events left until the Tour Championship and I have to try to get into the top 60. It's a long haul ahead, but I'm going to try my best to get in there," said Lee, who moved from 90th to 68th on the money list.

Klauk, now in third position on the money list, by his own admission, hadn't played the par 5s that well this week until Sunday.

"I chipped one in at the third then made a bomb on No. 12," said Klauk, from St. Augustine, Fla., whose wife Shanna is due to give birth to a baby girl in 10 days. "I hit it close on 17 (10 feet) and thought about the three eagles, but didn't hit a very good putt."

Grube, a Monday qualifier from Palo Alto, Calif., earned a start in next week's Albertsons Boise Open by finishing in the top 25 this week. A double bogey on the final hole dropped him into a tie for 14th. The Stanford grad's $9,350 check was not quite as much as the $48,000 he won when he tied for 14th at the PGA TOUR's Legends Reno-Tahoe Open in July after accepting a sponsor invitation.

Jarrod Lyle (65) closed his final round birdie-eagle-par and remains second on the money list, just $735 behind Brendon de Jonge, who missed the 36-hole cut.

Final-Round News & Notes: B.J. Staten (68) was the first player out, playing alone in 2 hours, 4 minutes. ... Fabian Gomez (65) birdied five holes in a row (Nos. 11-15). ... Bogey-free Sunday were Jeff Wood (65), Bob May (66), Bryce Molder (66), Mark Brooks (67), Scott Gardiner (66), Jeff Klauk (65) and Brendon Todd (67). ... The scoring average for the final round was 68.746 while the average for the week was 69.833. ... Hole No. 2 was the most difficult for the week, averaging 3.202, while the par-5 third hole was the easiest with a 4.553 average. The Nationwide Tour now heads to Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Idaho, for the Albertsons Boise Open where, last year, Jon Mills established a new tournament record with his winning score of 21-under 263. There are six tournaments remaining on this year's schedule.