In 293rd career start, Gay breaks through

Brian Gay's 8-year-old daughter had it on good authority that her father would earn his first PGA TOUR victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. The defending champ's 12-year-old son told her so the night prior to the final round.

Although Gay didn't know about the prediction, he did a nice job making it hold up, shooting a 1-under 69 in the final round to win the 2008 Mayakoba Golf Classic by two strokes at 16-under-par 264.

The PGA TOUR's second annual visit to Mayakoba became Gay's to lose when he closed the third round with birdies on five of the last six holes. He took a five-stroke lead into the final round and led by at least four throughout the first 16 holes of the final round.

In his 293rd career start, Gay finally was a winner; only 12 active players have entered more events without breaking through.

"Yeah, it's been a long time," Gay said. "Obviously a lot of hard work. It took me longer to get out on the TOUR after college than I thought. Even though I was doing really well on the mini-tours and had my chances through the years and wasn't able to get it done. So this is really a big, big relief to finally do it."

Then again, Taylor Funk - whose dad, Fred, won the inaugural event - knew it was going to happen after Gay's birdie flurry Saturday. At the hotel pool a few hours later, he told Makinley Gay, "Your dad's going to win."

Emotion came after he tapped in for par on 18, when his 4-year-old daughter Brantley ran onto the green to be the first to congratulate him. He then celebrated with wife Kimberly and 8-year-old daughter Makinley.