VALDOSTA — Bruce McDonald lurked for two rounds at the Langdale Ford Championship. Then in Tuesday’s final round, McDonald pounced.

When it was all said and done, the Charleston, S.C., native was the one standing next to the Hooters girls holding the big check Tuesday evening at Kinderlou Forest Golf and Country Club.

McDonald, who was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and still speaks with a South African twang, fought off the windy conditions in Tuesday’s final 36 holes to post a winning 3-under-par, 285 total for the tournament. Dave Schreyer of Peachtree City and Andy Johnson of Ocoee, Fla., finished in a tie for second at 1-under-par. Monday’s leader, Nick Rousey of Pensacola, Fla., finished at even-par. They were the only four of the 65 players that made the cut to shoot even-par or lower.

The third and fourth rounds of the tournament had to be completed Tuesday after last week’s weather pushed the opening rounds back.

“Today was a long, hard day,” McDonald said. “Thirty-six holes of golf on a windy course isn’t easy. I just had to play my game and I had to be my own best friend out there.”

McDonald was in eighth position after an opening round, even-par 72, and then crept to fourth place after Monday’s second round 72. He made his move in the third round Tuesday with a 4-under, 68. McDonald had gone to 5-under, but took a bogey on No. 18.

“I didn’t know exactly where that would put me, but I knew it would put me in a good position,” said McDonald, who came to the U.S. in 1999 for his freshman season at College of Charleston.

McDonald didn’t know how well that score would stand up until he saw the leaderboard midway through his final round. Second round leader Nick Rousey had dropped to 1-under.

“With the tough pin positions, I knew par or bogey golf would be good enough (in the final round),” McDonald said. “I didn’t get conservative, though, I just picked my spots and went at birdie when I knew I could get it.”

Rousey fought back to 4-under-par with a birdie on No. 10, but faltered with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13 and double-bogey on No. 14.

McDonald fired a 73 in the fourth round, good enough for a two-stroke win over Schreyer, who shot 67 in the final round, and Johnson. Schreyer’s 67 was the low round of the tournament.

McDonald, in his first year on the Hooters Tour, almost wasn’t a part of the Langdale Ford Championship after missing the final stage of Q-school by one shot last year.

“Hopefully I’ll be back to Valdosta next year,” he said. “I just hope it’s not on the Hooters Tour.”

The win was McDonald’s first this season on the Hooters Tour in 21 tries, earning him $22,750, heading into next week’s Tour Championship in Melbourne, Fla.