Newz Forum: GOLF: Warren wins Canadian PGA by seven

Cambridge, ON (Sports Network) - Charles Warren shot a five-under 67 on Sunday to win the Canadian PGA Championship by seven strokes at Whistle Bear Golf Club. Warren's winning total of 19-under-par 269 was good for his second career victory on the Nationwide Tour.

"My game has been such that it seems like it's been one thing or another the last four or five weeks, and it's been frustrating because I knew that something like this was right around the corner," said Warren. "This week it just seemed like everything really clicked."

Doug Barron and Dave Christensen carded matching rounds of 69 to share second place at 12-under-par 276. David McKenzie took fourth place at 11-under-par 277. Warren broke away from the pack with a 66 on Saturday and got past a shaky start on Sunday to increase his lead.

He picked up a birdie at the third, but dropped shots with back-to-back bogeys starting at the par-three fifth. Warren recovered with a birdie at the seventh and added a birdie at the ninth to make the turn at 15-under. Warren rolled in a long birdie putt at the 11th and tallied a birdie at the 12th to move to minus-17.

At the par-three 14th, Warren's tee shot rolled within a foot of the cup for an easy birdie. He then played his second shot within a few inches of the hole at the par-four 15th for another tap-in birdie. The Clemson product then parred his remaining holes for his first win since the 2002 BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs.

"My whole thing that I tried to do today was just stay focused and stay patient," said Warren. "I just tried to stay patient and play the golf course."

What had been an up and down season heading into the summer this year has turned itself around for the 29-year-old with a couple of top-10s and culminated with a victory to put Warren closer to earning a spot on the PGA Tour.

Dave Cunningham, who played alongside Warren on Sunday, struggled to a round of 74 and a fifth-place finish at 10-under-par 278. Bill Lunde, Scott Dunlap and Kenneth Staton followed at nine-under-par 279.

Jason Gore, Johnson Wagner, John Morse and Rob Bradley shared ninth place at eight-under-par 280.