SAN ANTONIO — Bart Bryant won his first PGA Tour event Sunday, closing with a 3-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over Patrick Sheehan at the Texas Open.
The 41-year-old Bryant snapped a streak of 187 tour events without a victory, finishing at 19-under 261.
Playing under a major medical extension this season because of elbow surgery in 2003, Bryant needed to win about $409,000 in 23 tournaments to retain his exempt status. Entering the Texas Open, he had earned just over $260,000 in 17 events.
With the victory, Bryant, who made it through PGA Tour Qualifying School five times, earned $630,000 and a two-year tour exemption.
He is the third straight over-40 golfer to win the Texas Open, joining Tommy Armour III, last year's winner, and Loren Roberts, the 2002 champ.
Bart and Brad Bryant, the winner of the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic in 1995, join Dave and Mike Hill, Lionel and Jay Hebert and Curt and Tom Byrum as the only brothers to win tour events.
Bryant, who matched the year's low round on tour with a 10-under 60 Saturday, played bogey-free golf over his last 49 holes.
On Sunday, he had only one birdie over his first 10 holes and his lead seemed vulnerable. On the par-4 11th, he drove into the rough on the left side, but hit his second shot to about 30 feet and made the putt for birdie to get to 18 under.
On the par-5 14th, he rolled a 37-foot eagle putt just past the hole and settled for birdie.
Sheehan (66) was within striking distance of Bryant for most of the back nine at La Cantera Golf Club, but lost any chance to overtake the leader when he three-putted from 22 feet for a bogey on the par-4 16th.
Dean Wilson, the second-round leader, rebounded from Saturday's 70 and shot a 66 to finish tied for third with Todd Fischer (67) at 265.
First-round leader Ted Purdy (65), Jerry Kelly (65), J.J.Henry (68), Tim Clark (68) and Hunter Mahan (69) finished at 266, while two-time Texas Open winner Justin Leonard (66) was among the four players at 267.
Mahan started the day alone in second, three shots behind Bryant, but he made three bogeys on the front and stood at 2 over after 13. He rallied with three birdies on the final five holes and moved back up the leaderboard.
Kelly made a run with four straight birdies on the back, getting to 15 under with two holes left. But he hit over the green on the par-3 17th and then two-putted from 6 feet for a bogey, dropping out of contention.
Armour, whose 26-under 254 in last year's tournament set a tour low-scoring mark, finished 20 strokes higher this year, in a tie for 41st.