Monday February 22, 2010, 02:20 AM

Cameron Beckman fired a three-under par 67 on Sunday to win the Mayakoba Classic by two strokes, capturing the third US PGA Tour title of his career.

Beckman, 40, finished with a 15-under par total of 269, adding the title to the Southern Farm Bureau Classic he won in 2001 and the 2008 Frys.com Open title.

Joe Durant, who had led after each of the first three rounds, closed with a 72 to settle for a share of second on 271, alongside Brian Stuard who shot a 66.

"I started off well. I parred the first and birdied the next two and kind of got going a little bit," Beckman said. "I was really uncomfortable off the tee today, and I chipped and putted really well. That's pretty much what got the tournament won for me."

Beckman bogeyed the sixth, pulled a stroke back with a birdie on the par-five eighth and added birdies on 13 and 17.

"There's something about, you know, I'm cruising along playing, and all of a sudden I know I'm tied for the lead," Beckman said.

"That makes you nervous. Now you know you've got a chance to win and you've really got to tighten up and concentrate. A lot of things go through your mind.

"Winning out here is tough," Beckman added. "There's really no easy way do it. I've done it a couple different ways now, but it's a great feeling."

He admitted he was feeling the pressure on the 18th tee.

"I was really nervous," Beckman said. "I hadn't driven the ball all that good the whole all day. You can get in trouble on that tee. I still felt like the two guys behind playing me could birdie the last two holes, also. Looking back now, I could have made bogey and still won, but fortunately I had a good tee shot and pitching wedge into the green, and kind of eked my putt up there and tapped it in."

Beckhman said the key to his victory was "without question" putting.

"I hit the ball well, also, but this is probably the best I've putted in a long time," he said. "Probably since the last time I won. I just put a new putter in play two weeks ago, and just absolutely putted beautifully on these greens. ... Just a beautiful week of putting."

Five players were tied on 272. Skip Kendall fired a 64 to join the group that also included Sweden's Richard S. Johnson (65), Briny Baird (68), Chad Collins (71) and JP Hayes (71).

The 3.6 million-dollar tournament ran opposite the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona, won by England's Ian Poulter on Sunday.

© 2010 AFP/sid