Island Packet Verizon Heritage 2008 Coverage | Harbour Town, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island, SC

Carl Pettersson caught fire in the middle of the back nine Sunday to pull away from Scott McCarron and win the Wyndham Championship by two shots.

Pettersson tripped to a bogey at the last to close a round of two-under 68. That gave him a tournament record score of 21-under-par 259. The previous mark of 265 was set by Jesper Parnevik in 1999. Pettersson also set new 36- and 54- hole scoring records along the way.

McCarron took the lead after Pettersson bogeyed 10 and 11 at Sedgefield Country Club, but played the last seven holes in plus-one to close a round of two-under 68. He ended alone in second place at 19-under-par 261.

This was the last event before the FedEx Cup playoffs so players were trying to battle their way into the playoffs.

Former PGA Champion Rich Beem made the cut on the number Friday, then carded back-to-back rounds of seven-under 63 to end alone in third at minus-17. That secured his spot in the playoffs.

J.J. Henry (62) and Martin Laird (63) shared fourth place at 16-under-par 164. Both players played their way into the playoffs.

McCarron birdied two of the first three holes to tie Pettersson in the lead at minus-19.

Pettersson responded with a seven-foot birdie putt on four and a 20-footer for birdie on five. McCarron moved back within one as he rolled in a 16-foot birdie effort at the sixth.

Around the turn, Pettersson began to stumble. He came up short at the 10th, then putted to seven feet. He missed the par-saving putt, then bogeyed the 11th as well to slide to 19-under, where he trailed by one.

Momentum swung back in Pettersson's favor at the 12th. McCarron could not save par on the par three and fell back into a share of the lead.

"I felt great on the front nine, then started the back nine with two bogeys," said Pettersson, who earned $918,000 for the win. "My caddie gave me a great read on 12 and I made a long putt for par and that kind of turned things around. That was a momentum swing there and I played solid coming in."

Pettersson responded with an eight-foot birdie putt at 13 to grab the lead at 20-under. He two-putted for birdie on the par-five 15th, then sank a seven- footer for birdie at 16 to move three clear of McCarron.

McCarron fell four back with a bogey on the 17th.

Pettersson came up short at the last and chipped to 22 feet. His par putt stayed above ground, but he tapped in for his third PGA Tour win.

For Pettersson, this was basically a homecoming for him since he went to college at North Carolina State and has lived in the Tar Heel State for some time now.

"I was born in Sweden, but only lived there for 10 years," Pettersson stated. "I know I'm Swedish, but this is home to me. I've really enjoyed the crowds this week. It's been fantastic. To win my home tournament is unbelievable."

McCarron kicked in a four-footer for birdie at the last to cut the winning margin to two.

Tim Clark and John Senden both closed with rounds of four-under 66 to join Kevin Streelman (68) in a share of sixth place at 15-under-par 265.

Jerry Kelly, Briny Baird, Shane Bertsch, Mark Wilson, Bob Sowards and Michael Letzig were one stroke back at minus-14.

Justin Bolli closed with a five-under 65 to end in a tie for 15th, which helped him make his way into the FedEx Cup playoffs. Lee Janzen got up and down for par at the last to share 15th with Laird and three others. That par helped Janzen move from 154th to the 144th and into final spot in the playoffs.

Among those knocked out of the playoffs were Gavin Coles, Tag Ridings and former British Open champion Todd Hamilton.