lesch wins Pure Insurance Championship

Steve Flesch fired a 4-under 68 and birdied the 18th hole on Sunday to win the Pure Insurance Championship in Monterey Peninsula, Calif.

Flesch carded six birdies and two bogeys at Pebble Beach in the third and final round of the event. He finished with an 11-under-par 205, one stroke ahead of the three second-place finishers. It was Flesch's second victory of the season after he won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic back in May.

"It meant so much more to me because every pro wants to win at Pebble Beach and it was just a lot of fun," Flesch said. "I hung in there all day, I got off to a great start, but winning at Pebble Beach I think is every professional golfer's dream."

That great start consisted of birdies on Nos. 1-4 in addition to one on the par-3 seventh. Flesch got his birdie putt at the par-4 18th to drop to edge South African Ernie Els, New Zealand's Steven Alker and Paul Stankowski, who all finished at 10-under 206.

"You don't get many opportunities to win," Flesch said. "But I got an open door when Steven gave me a chance on 18 and hit a great wedge shot in there. It ran the put in."

Els was bogey-free on Sunday and notched eight birdies to post the low score of the day with an 8-under 64, while Alker recorded a 69 and Stankowski trailed close behind with a 70.

"If I just converted a little bit earlier, I might have been right there," Alker said. "Pleased with the week anyway."

Brian Gay (67 on Sunday) and Brett Quigley (69) tied for fifth at 9 under, while Mario Tiziani (67), Australian Rod Pampling (69) and Ken Duke (72) tied for seventh at 8 under.