Tim Conley came from four shots back on the final day to capture the $50,000 Gosling's Invitational at Belmont Hills yesterday.

Conley two-putted the last hole to finish at one-under-par 69 for the round, two shots ahead of overnight leader Brian McCann who choked on the final day to give his American rival a fifth Invitational title overall.

With the spoils there for the taking, Canadian McCann limped to a disappointing five-over-par 75 after enduring a bogey-riddled round that included a double at the par-three seventh that swung the pendulum in Conley's favour just before the turn.

Bermuda's Michael Sims finished third but with better luck with the putter could easily have pocketed the $9,000 winner's cheque instead. Sims, fresh off a debut season on the Nationwide Tour, entered the clubhouse with a three-over-par 73 after failing to bite into Conley's slim lead over the closing holes.

By his own admission Conley did not play his best golf, but did just enough to prevail where others around him stumbled.

"I accomplished what I wanted to do but I would've rather shot 62 and won instead of 69 and play badly. You always want to do it the better way," said the 2007 Bermuda Open champion, who started the day tied with Sims in second.

"I don't think any of us played any good golf today. Occasionally one of us would hit a great shot but it wasn't like yesterday (Wednesday) when we all fed off each other.

"Michael (Sims) never made a birdie over 18 holes, which really surprised me, while Brian (McCann) made a lot of bad mistakes. I also made some three putts coming in that let them get closer to me. But I think I played the steadiest."

Conley had four birdies for the round, including a pivotal one at the par-five 12th hole that put him in control at two under and seemingly left both McCann and Sims for dead.

"That really put the pressure on them," Conley said.

Yet just as he had done back on nine, Conley flirted with disaster at 15 where he three-putted for bogey to cut it close, perhaps too much for his own liking, down the stretch.

But again, his rivals failed to cash in as Sims' woes with the putter continued at 17 where he made bogey to end his hopes while McCann missed a ten-foot birdie putt on the same hole that would've drawn him even with Conley with one hole to go.

"I felt bad for Michael and Brian today because I know they didn't play very well," Conley said.

After starting the day with a healthy four-shot cushion, McCann looked anything but a champion-elect as his all-round game fell apart when it mattered most.

The Canadian bogeyed the second hole and then completely lost his way at seven to give Conley a huge psychological lift — and a good dose of momentum.

"This one is difficult to swallow because of the mistakes that were made today. It's really tough," McCann lamented.

The 2001 Azores Open champion's troubles continued on the back nine where additional bogeys at 12, 13 and 18 left him searching for answers.

"Those mistakes should not have happened," he said.

If it was any consolation, Conley noted: "This is the hardest, shortest golf course I've played all over the world. It can really make you look foolish if you are not careful."

Sims had good control coming off the tee - but his putter never fired.

"I didn't make any putts today. I had trouble with the pace of the greens today and left everything pretty much short," the Island's top golfer lamented.

Sims had ample chances to overhaul the leaders along the way. But in the end it just wasn't to be as the Bermudian's demons on the greens eventually got the better of him.

"It's very disappointing to know all I had to shoot to win was one under. That really hurts," he said. " I guess I was just a fraction off the pace all day."

Daniel Augustus, playing in his first pro event, captured the amateur division by a whopping 14 shots after finishing at two over par.

"I'm ecstatic to be top amateur and finish 13th overall," Augustus said. "I played good golf all week and I'm very happy with that."

Noel Van Putten clinched the senior division with a final round nine-over-par 79.