Paulson nips Duval in four-hole playoff

HARRISON, N.Y. -- Dennis Paulson knows you can't survive on the PGA Tour thinking small.

''I basically have the same attitude that Tiger Woods has when I'm playing well: I think I can win every golf tournament,'' the 37-year-old Californian said Sunday after winning the Buick Classic on the fourth hole of a playoff with David Duval.

Paulson won his first tour title with a 4-foot par putt after Duval, the 11-time tour winner ranked No. 2 in the world, lipped out a 5-foot par attempt on the par-4 17th.

''I don't want to take anything away from guys who have won one golf tournament, but that's not getting the job done,'' said Paulson, who lost a playoff to Duffy Waldorf in last year's tournament.

''There's 50 guys who have won one golf tournament and don't even play golf anymore. I don't want to be one of them.''

Paulson, who earned $540,000, set up the winning putt with a chip from the deep rough.

''It was a straight putt. I hit it firm. Any harder and it would have gone so far past that I probably would have three-putted,'' Paulson said.

Duval's putt caught the left edge of the cup.

''I don't know if I pulled it, just hit a bad putt or if it broke more than I thought,'' said Duval, who quickly left the course to travel to Pebble Beach for this week's U.S. Open.

After the players parred the first two playoff holes, Nos. 18 and 17, they matched birdies on the 18th -- with Duval holing a 40-foot uphill putt and Paulson making a 4-footer.

Paulson closed with a 3-under-par 68 on the demanding Westchester Country Club course, holing a curling 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole for an 8-under 276 total. Duval, playing three groups behind Paulson, finished with a 69.

Sergio Garcia, the 20-year-old Spanish star who birdied his last hole Friday to make the cut, followed his third-round 65 with a 68 to finish a stroke back. Greg Norman shot a 67 to finish fourth at 278, his first top-10 finish since the British Open.

Paulson, the leader after the first two rounds, overcame a third-round 75. The former national long-driving champion had five birdies in a six-hole stretch beginning with No. 6 and tied Duval with the long birdie putt on No. 18.

''I love this golf course,'' he said. ''I'll be back here until they won't have me.''

Duval, winless since the BellSouth Classic early last season, took advantage of a fortunate bounce on No. 11 for his fourth birdie of the round. His tee shot strayed to the left, but struck a tree and bounced into the fairway.