Ames 30th at New Orleans Classic

NEW ORLEANS: Trinidadian Stephen Ames carded a disappointing final round 74 to finish 30th at the US $5 million HP Classic of New Orleans on Sunday.

Ames, who was positioned third after Thursday’s first round, ended on an 11-under 277 total, 10 strokes behind the winner Steve Flesch, who beat Bob Estes in a play-off to celebrate his first triumph on the tour. Flesch began the day seven strokes behind leader Scott Verplank and shot a final-round 65 to finish tied with Estes at 21-under 267. Verplank held a two-stroke lead with four holes to play, but bogeyed 16 and double-bogeyed 18 to finish with a two-over 74. He ended third at 19-under. The 39-year-old Ames, whose international triumphs include the 1996 Benson and Hedges Open in England, had previous rounds of 65, 68, and 70, and missed his chance for a third top-10 finish of the year. He was eighth at the Bob Chrysler Classic in February, and 10th at the Bay Hill Invitational in March.