MIAMI, Fla. -- Bryce Molder finally just trusted his ability, his swing and emotions and it paid off with his first professional win. Molder stepped into the winner’s circle for the first time since closing out a stellar college career at Georgia Tech University five years ago. The 27-year old posted a 3-under-par 68 in Sunday’s final round to be Boo Weekley by one stroke at the Miccosukee Championship, the final full-field event on the 2006 Nationwide Tour schedule.

Molder finished at 14-under 270 and collected an all-important first-place check of $90,000, which moved him to No. 21 on the money list with only the Nationwide Tour Championship at The Houstonian left on the schedule. The top 22 players at the end of the season will earn a spot on the 2007 PGA TOUR.

“I’m extremely excited, not even about where I am on the money list but it was the fact that I’ve learned a lot and come a long way this year,” said Molder, who jumped up from No. 49 on the money rankings. “For the first time I was in contention and I actually looked forward to playing today. I know that sounds simple.”

Nothing looked simple during Sunday’s final round when third-round leader Chad Collins and the rest of the field appeared to have it stuck in reverse. Collins was 4-over through 10 holes and settled for a 3-over 74 and a tie for seventh place. Jason Dufner matched the day’s best round with a 66 and got to the clubhouse at 12-under and waited to see if anyone would be able to catch him.

Molder was 1-under for 10 holes and had no idea where he stood until an errant tee shot on No. 11 proved insightful.

“I hit my tee shot about 100 yards to the right on number 11 and I looked up at the scoreboard and I’m leading,” said a surprised Molder. “I really didn’t mean to see the scoreboard and at that point I knew I was right in the middle of this. I knew I was going to have to play a good back nine.”

Molder stepped up with three consecutive short birdie putts at Nos. 14, 15 and 16 to get to 14-under and in control of the situation.

“I’ve had some success along the way but it wasn’t the kind of success where I went out on the last day and tried to win a golf tournament,” he said. “I finally let go enough. I wasn’t scared of messing up today. That was a big part. I didn’t want to but I wasn’t scared and that’s the big thing.”

Weekley, the Tour’s leader in greens in regulation had a couple chances on the final holes to catch Molder, one of four players in NCAA Division I history to be named All-America four times (Gary Hallberg, Phil Mickelson and David Duval). Weekley watched in disbelief as his 13-foot birdie putt on the final hole to tie slid past the cup. That left Molder, one group back, needing a par for the win. His tee shot found the fairway and set up the winner.

“It was only 143 yards but under these circumstances nothing is routine. All you have to do is barely miss it and hit it in the rough and this rough is not fun to chip out of,” he said after hitting 8-iron to 12 feet. “The hardest thing in the world is trying to two-putt. It just is especially when you know you have to. It was nice to see that thing roll up there to about four inches.”

Molder tapped in for par and then accepted congratulations from several players, including former Georgia Tech teammate Matt Kuchar, who hung around after a 66 and a tie for seventh place.

“Sometimes to get better you’ve got to go backwards a little bit and maybe I needed to be humbled a little bit, maybe I needed to be forced to focus on a few things with my game,” said Molder, who has undergone a swing change in recent years and has struggled to fulfill the promise and hopes he had after college. “My first event as a pro on the PGA TOUR I finished third and thought ‘this game’s not that hard.’ Sometimes it takes some guys a little longer.”

Molder doesn’t have to wait any longer.

Fourth-Round News & Notes: Cameron Beckman (69) was the only player in the field who did not make a bogey on Sunday. Beckman’s tie for fourth place pushed him to No. 62 on the money list and the final spot in the Nationwide Tour Championship at The Houstonian…Sunday’s scoring average was 70.597. The scoring average for the week was 71.015.