Butcher claims a Bay Mills payday

Like many, Rodney Butcher left Bay Mills a winner. Only Butcher claimed his prize on the golf course.

Butcher shot a final round 2-under par and a four day total of 10-under to win the Canadian Tour's Bay Mills Open Players' Championship at the Wild Bluff Golf Course in Brimley, Michigan on Sunday afternoon.

With the win, Butcher claimed the winners cheque of $37,600 and received a Tour exemption through the 2005 season. The tournament was the CanTour's final event of the year.

Butcher, entered the final two rounds of the tournament tied for first spot with two others at 3-under par after play on Friday. But a 5-under round on Saturday put Butcher in a position where no one could catch him on his way to his first career Tour victory.

Canadian Jon Mills finished second at 5-under after his 2-under final round and was presented with an even bigger prize following the event.

With his $22,560 payout for a second place showing, Mills captured the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit crown, the CanTour's money title, with $55,321 in season earnings. American Rob Johnson finished second on the Order of Merit with $54,164.

By finishing first and second on the money list, Mills and Johnson have received an exemption into the second round of the PGA Tour Qualifying School later this fall.

Mills, who captured the MTS Classic earlier this season, becomes the first Canadian to win the Canadian Tour's Order of Merit crown since Mike Weir accomplished the feat in 1997.

Australian David McKenzie finished third with a total round 3-under par while American Brad Sutterfield finished fourth at 2-under par.