Smith birdies last for Desert Dunes title

Desert Hot Springs, CA – Byron Smith birdied the 18th hole Sunday to pick up the win at the Desert Dunes Classic, the final event on the 2011 Canadian Tour schedule.

Smith, the third-round leader, finished with a six-under 66 on Sunday to win the championship at 16-under 272. The margin of victory at Desert Dunes Golf Club was two, but this was very tight down the stretch.

Kent Eger eagled the par-five 16th to match Smith in the lead at 15-under par. Both players parred the 17th and it came down to the last.

Smith holed a 15-foot birdie putt and Eger made bogey to give Smith his fourth Canadian Tour title and first since the 2009 Times Colonist Open.

Eger carded a respectable five-under 67 on Sunday.

Jordan Cox fired an eight-under 64 in the final round and shared third place with Stuart Anderson, who shot a two-under 70 on Sunday. The duo finished at minus-nine.

Ryan Williams also had a 64 in Sunday's final round. That vaulted him into a tie for fifth with Jim Rutledge, who posted a five-under 67, at eight-under 280.

Ryan Yip managed an even-par 71 and came in seventh at seven-under 281, while Matt Daniel's two-under 70 gave him an eighth-place finish at six-under-par 282.

NOTES: Smith pocketed $24,000 for the victory...Jose de Jesus Rodriguez won the money title and Hugo Leon finished second.