Conover, NC (My Sportsbook) - R.W. Eaks only managed a one-under 71 on Sunday, but it was enough to successfully defend his title at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn.

Actually, Eaks' 71 was enough for a resounding title defense. He finished at 16-under 200 and won the title by four shots over Tom Kite (67) and Eaks' fellow overnight co-leader Tom Jenkins (75).

This was Eaks' fourth Champions Tour victory, all coming since last year's Dick's Sporting Goods Open in mid-July. That is the most wins by anyone on tour in the same time span.

"I'm so fortunate to be able to play out here with these guys," said Eaks, who pocketed $255,000 for the victory. "Every once in a while, they let me win a tournament."

Mark McNulty used an ace at 16 to shoot a three-under 69. He tied for fourth place with Mark Wiebe (71) and Tom McKnight (70) at 11-under-par 205.

Eaks and Jenkins began the final round tied for the lead, but that did not last long. Jenkins bogeyed No. 1 and did not get back into a share of first until a birdie at the fifth.

The truly disastrous hole for Jenkins was the sixth. He double-bogeyed the hole to fall two back and it stayed that way after both players birdied the par-five seventh.

Eaks had a great chance to extend the lead, but missed a seven-foot birdie try at nine. The two parred No. 10, then Jenkins three-putted from 35 feet at 11 for a bogey. That pushed Eaks' lead to three, but it grew to four when Jenkins sailed over the putting surface with his approach at 12.

Eaks gave Jenkins some room for hope with a three-putt bogey of his own at No. 13. The lead was three, but the par-five 14th all but shut down anyone's hopes for victory.

Jenkins elected to use a three-wood off the tee and the decision did not pay off for him. He missed the green with his third, chipped 10 feet by and his par putt stayed above ground.

Bruce Vaughan was in the mix as well, but a drive into a bunker at 16 led to an approach into the water and a double-bogey.

Eaks two-putted for a birdie at 14 and the lead was up to five.

Jenkins got one back with a 30-footer for birdie at 16, but Eaks was unflappable. He two-putted for routine pars at 15, 16 and 17 and reached the par-five 18th tee with a four-stroke cushion.

He parred the last for the victory in a tournament he has owned of late.

Two years ago, Eaks lost a playoff to Andy Bean in his bid for a first win. Last year, he stumbled a bit on the back nine of the final round, but held on to win the rocking chair trophy.

"When you have such a big lead and you let it go, you don't trust yourself," Eaks said, referring to his woes in 2007. "This year, I just tried to play smart golf the whole way in and let those guys try to beat me and to not beat myself."

Vaughan managed a two-under 70 on Sunday and tied for seventh with Gil Morgan (73) and Bob Gilder (69) at minus-10.

Jay Haas (70), Gene Jones (71) and Fred Funk (71) shared 10th at nine-under 207.