Sweden's Jesper Parnevik lit a victory cigar walking up the 18th fairway of the TPC at Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday, fully anticipating his first victory on the USPGA Tour.

The Swedish golfer enjoyed a three-stroke lead in the Phoenix Open and his approach shot was safely on the green as he took out the celebratory cigar.

Parnevik won by three strokes, finishing with a four-under-par 67 for a 15-under total of 269 - the same number he reached here last year. In 1997, however, his 269 was good only for second place, 11 strokes behind Steve Jones.

"I've been waiting a long time for this," said Parnevik, a six-time winner in Europe and now in his fifth year as a US tour member. He had five runner-up finishes last year.