By Bobby Hall
PGATOUR.com Contributor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- During the intense drama of a leaderboard logjam on Sunday at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, former Memphis champion John Cook had a strong feeling about who the eventual winner would be.

“I knew it was going to be in our group,” said Cook, who was playing in a twosome with Jeff Maggert. “I just kinda had that feeling coming down the stretch.”

Apparently, he didn’t share those thoughts with Maggert, 42, who hadn’t won since 1999. The prediction might have qualified as quite a stretch, considering Cook, 48, hadn’t won since 2001, either.

There might be a temptation now to call Cook a psychic. Because after some long-range strokes with his putter on the back nine at TPC Southwind, by late afternoon it was time to call Maggert a champion for the third time in his 16 years on the PGA TOUR.

Maggert’s closing 5-under-par 65 for a 271 total was good for a three-stroke victory over Tom Pernice, Jr., who shot 71 on Sunday. Cook also shot 71 and tied for third with Kris Cox (72) at 276.

“I’m glad he felt that way,” a grinning Maggert said afterward. “I was a little uncertain about myself. Obviously, it had been a while since I’d won.”

With the lead flip-flopping all afternoon, Maggert was solid.

“Jeff played great,” said Cook, who won the FedEx St. Jude Classic in 1996 with a tournament-record 26-under-par total of 258. “Why he hasn’t won more than three times is beyond me. That’s one of our mysteries.”

Maggert definitely is OK with his career results on the PGA TOUR, which include earnings of more than $14.2 million and participation on three Ryder Cup teams.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years,” said Maggert, who earned $936,000 for the victory. “The older you get, seven years go by in the blink of an eye, but it’s been a good seven years out here.

“I’ve played well enough to probably win seven, eight, nine, 10 times, but this is a tough game. I’ve had a chance to win a few majors, and hopefully, before all is said and done, I’ll have a chance to win a few more times.”

Maggert had played in 180 events since winning the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in 1999.

Two huge putts at Nos. 16 and 17 ignited Maggert’s takeover. Although he’s been struggling with his putting, he needed only 99 this week, joining Aaron Baddeley at the Verizon Heritage as the only other player to record fewer than 100 putts and win.

“I’ve been trying to simplify things with my putting, which I definitely needed this week,” he said.

At the par-5 16th, Maggert sank a 36½ foot putt for eagle. At the par-four 17th, he sank a 34-footer for birdie. On both putts he was just trying to be sure and get his par.

“Sometimes you’re just trying to two-putt and sometimes those go in,” Maggert said.

Maggert’s 72-hole score of 9-under par -- the highest in relation to par since the tournament moved to TPC Southwind in 1989 -- indicated the difficulty of the course that was remodeled after the 2004 event.

“This is kind of golf course I love to play,” he said. “Seems like I’m in contention a lot where you don’t have to shoot 25 under to win.”

Maggert didn’t enter the FedEx St. Jude Classic until late last week. His original schedule called for playing the Bank of America Colonial last week and then next week’s Memorial Tournament.

Jeff Maggert (left) and John Cook (right). (Badz/PGA TOUR/ WireImage)

“Because of my poor play this year, I didn’t get into Colonial and I wasn’t in Memorial until I won today,” Maggert said. “So I added this tournament because I’ve always enjoyed playing here. I came here last year. I saw the changes that were made and I knew the golf course was going to be good.

“Funny how things work out in this game. I was actually the first or second alternate at Colonial last week. If I would have gotten in, I probably wouldn’t have been here.”

Maggert’s paycheck was delivered by an official FedEx courier in a specially designed golfcart-sized version of a standard FedEx delivery truck that drove down the 18th fairway. It was all part of the title sponsor’s 21st FedEx St. Jude Classic before becoming sponsor of the FedEx Cup next year on TOUR.

When he was asked to sign for the shipping box that contained the check, a happy Maggert looked at his watch and said with a grin, “Right on time” -- seven years later or not.