Henry Edges Rocha in Reno-Tahoe Open


Despite totaling a relatively mere 7 points in the final round of the Reno-Tahoe Open, J.J. Henry managed to record his second PGA Tour win and first since the 2006 Buick Championship. The Reno-Tahoe title was worth $540,000 and 250 FedEx Cup points.

The 37-year-old Connecticut native, who now lives in Fort Worth, Texas, finished with 43 points in the Stableford format, which was used for the first time this year in the tournament. Henry's total was one point better than Alexander Rocha of Brazil, who started the final round at Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno three points back of Henry, but could only muster 9 points Sunday despite birdies on his final two holes.

Henry was relieved to finally get another victory after a six-year gap between visits to the winner's circle. "It's been a long time coming," he told reporters. "This is my 12th straight year on Tour. I got my first victory in 2006, but to finally kind of get over that hump again, it means a lot, not only to win, but to win here in such a neat place.

"Reno Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to, and I've been fortunate enough to come back year in and year out really since the tournament started, with the exception of maybe playing good a couple of times and being over in Akron (site of this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational).

"I love coming here; I love the people. Obviously I love the format this week. It just added for a lot of excitement. We had great crowds, great sponsors, great volunteers. We did a lot for the military, and the military was very supportive this week, so I couldn't think of a better place to get my second win than right here in Reno."

Despite finishing as the runner-up, Rocha was pleased with how he performed in the new format, which allots 8 points for a double eagle, 5 for an eagle, 2 for a birdie, 0 for par, -1 for a bogey and -3 for a double-bogey or worse.

"I mean I've never been in this position before," the 35-year-old told reporters. "In fact, I've never been anywhere near this position before. So the No. 1 positive I take for the week is having been under the gun for three days now, playing in the last group for the last two days, which is also a first for me, I thought I did pretty good.

"I mean I was going up against a former Tour winner and now a twice Tour winner with 12 years of experience on the PGA Tour. So that makes 10 years more than I do on the PGA Tour. As I said before, it was advantage J.J. to start off the day, but I was playing I had a tournament within the tournament. That was my own.

"I thought I couldn't be any happier with the performance this week," added Rocha, who posted five birdies and a bogey Sunday. "I have shattered any previous record I might have had in terms of performing results, money earned, whatever.

"I've just this is a whole new level for me, and like I said in this room on the first day, you know, there are a bunch of players out here, each of them go about their business a certain way, and all I can do is I have my own road to follow, and this was - on the first day that I got up in contention it was a big milestone for me. Well, this is a mountain for me, and I am very, very excited to have been able to pull through."

Argentina's Andres Romero carded 6 points to finish in third with 37 points, while John Mallinger, who was 4 points behind Henry starting the final round, only got 2 points off two birdies and a pair of bogeys to end up in fourth with 34 points. John Daly also had a chance to catch Henry, but managed to accumulate 5 points from four birdies and three bogeys. The two-time major winner tied Justin Leonard (7 points) for fifth with 33 points total.

The high scorer Sunday was Richard Lee with 11 points, which vaulted the former University of Washington player and Tour rookie into a tie for 12th at 28 points. Lee had two eagles - both on par-5s, three birdies and five bogeys in the final round.

For complete scoring, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/r472.