Robert Gamez is having a rookie year to remember on the PGA Tour.
Gamez, who won the Nestle Invitational in Orlando, Fla., by a single stroke over veteran Greg Norman on Sunday, last won in Florida when he captured the University of Central Florida Classic here in his final year as a collegian at the University of Arizona.
"I can't wait for Disney now," said Gamez after a spectacular eagle-2 on the closing hole at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill course gave him the $162,000 first prize.
The prize money matches the $162,000 purse he won in his home state in January: the first victory by a rookie playing in his first Tour tournament since Ben Crenshaw did it in 1973.
Gamez said he was just shooting to get into a playoff when he struck "a real solid 7-iron" at the pin on the 18th, considered the toughest finishing hole on the Tour.
The ball traveled 176 yards, hitting the green and jumping into the cup as Gamez and his caddy did a dance out on the fairway.
"To win an invitational - they've got the best players in the world here - I proved to myself as well as to everybody else that I can play with the best," Gamez said.
Norman, who had a one-stroke lead and was on the 17th tee, said, "I knew exactly what happened ... I didn't know if it was Gamez or who."
Norman said he was "unhappy I didn't win the tournament but I'm happy for him. He hit a great shot."
Gamez' 72-hole total of 274 was 14-under par on the 7,114-yard Bay Hill course.
Norman shot a final-round 68 for a 275 total over 72 holes. In third place was Larry Mize, who also shot 68 for 276.
Tied at 277 were Scott Hoch, South African Fulton Allem, who had a hole-in-one on Saturday, and Curtis Strange.
Paul Azinger, who looked at one point like he would run away with the championship, was at 10-under 278 with a closing 68.
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And at Phoenix, Pat Bradley became the first LPGA player to reach $3 million in career earnings with a one-stroke victory Sunday in the $500,000 Turquoise Classic.
Bradley, with career earnings of $3,059,768, made a two-foot par putt on the final hole to beat Ayako Okamoto, who made a bold charge on the final nine. Okamoto birdied Nos. 10, 13, 14 and 17 to tie Bradley at 12 under at the 6,514-yard, par-73 Moon Valley Country Club.
But on the 18th green, Okamoto three-putted from 40 feet, just missing a four-foot par putt that would have forced a sudden-death playoff. Okamoto finished with a 71 for a 281 total, 11 undar par.
Bradley then tapped in her putt to cap a round of 71 for a $75,000 check and her second victory in the tournament. She also won in 1987.
It was the second victory this season and 25th in 17 years on tour for Bradley, who turned 39 Saturday.
Okamoto, second in the tournament in 1988 and third in 1983, won $46,250.