MoreGradually, Kraft found his strength. This week in Puerto Rico, he rediscovered his championship game.
"That crystal trophy that I'll lug home," he said. "I'll look at that every day."
No one was steadier than Kraft. He went 29 straight holes without a bogey on the weekend until a meaningless mistake on the 72nd hole.
Kraft began Sunday a shot behind Van Pelt, who led after each of first three days here.
Early on, Van Pelt seemingly locked down his own first tour win with a stunning eagle-3 on the fifth hole to grab a two-shot lead.
Still, Kraft stayed close with a birdie on No. 5. His chance came soon enough as Van Pelt had consecutive bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes to fall into a three-way tie for first with the back nine to go.
Kraft and Van Pelt had matching birdies on the 12th to stay tied at 14 under. Two holes later, Kraft moved in front for good after Van Pelt's bogey.
Van Pelt felt confident and figured his eagle - he amazingly hooked a low-liner around some palm trees on the par-5 fifth to land 12 feet away - was the jump start he needed.
Instead, the 32-year-old will have to wait for his first tour win.
"It was frustrating because I knew how good I played all week," Van Pelt said.
Briny Baird was part of that three-way tie for first. But Baird followed with four straight bogeys to fall from contention. He rallied back within a shot of Kraft after a stretch of three birdies in four holes, but that was as close as Baird could get.
Baird blamed his putter, missing makable par putts on all four holes. "I was looking for a rock" to hide under, Baird said.
It probably wouldn't have mattered since Kraft wasn't about to bobble this one away. He cemented things with a birdie on the par-4 17th to open a three-shot cushion.
Divots: Puerto Rico's lone native golfer in the field Sunday, Miguel Suarez, finished 1-over par and tied for 61st. ... Van Pelt was trying to become the first first-time winner to go wire-to-wire since K.J. Choi won the Tampa Bay Classic in 2002. ... Organizers were pleased with the week's turnout, considering the event coincided with Holy Week ceremonies on this highly religious island. Chairman Sidney Wolf says next year's tournament is expected to come earlier on the PGA Tour schedule.
