Garland Smith tied two other golfers with a birdie on the 17th hole and then won in sudden death to claim the Cartersville Classic on Thursday at the Cartersville Country Club.

Smith of Edgefield, S.C., had climbed into a tie with Chip Deason of Augusta and Ricky Casko of Cartersville with his birdie, then defeated Deason in sudden death to earn the title, a part of the Peach State Pro Tour.

Smith, who was two strikes back of the leader at the start of the day, said he felt some pressure to make his move before the final round during regulation play.

"It was a relief to get that birdie on 17; because I knew with the way Ricky [Casko] hits it, I had to make birdie on the last hole, a par 5," he said. "I knew I had to go birdie, birdie."

During sudden death play, Smith, who shot 201 during regulation play, had a chance to win on the first hole but his putt didn't fall.

"I didn't pick a good line," he said.

Smith got a second chance to win in the second round of sudden death and made good on that.

"He [Deason] kind of tugged it a little to the left, so I knew I had a little bit of an opening because I knew he couldn't get there in two," Smith said. "I just stuck with what my teachers taught me and pounded it right down the middle."

The golfer said he benefited from his play on the tour. "I was a little more focused. The experience of winning one about a month ago helped."

He won the Reunion Classic on May 15-17 in Hoschton by a single stroke.

Casko started the day one-stroke off the pace and forged a tie with an eagle on the 10th hole, then a birdie on the 11th gave him a lead that lasted until the 15th, when Deason birdied. He fell out off the pace in the final round, when he shot par.

Casko, who shot a 202, said he picked up a tough lesson.

"I three-putted No. 9 to lose by one from about 12 feet. That's something you can't do if you want to win a golf tournament, especially out here," he said. "I came back and eagled a par 4, which is good, and then all I had to do was hit a fairway on 18 and -- I know I have an advantage on par 5s -- and I didn't hit the fairway. I had a little tough lie in the rough and tried to punch it out on the green, and it fell a little over to the right into the rough and I chipped it up and left a 12-footer right in the hole, just a little short of it. I guess you live and you learn."

The Peach State Pro Tour, in its sixth season, features 20 tournaments, 19 of which are in Georgia. Among its tournaments is the Barnsley Gardens Classic in Adairsville, which was played May 9-10.