Gulfport, MS – Dustin Bray of Asheboro, NC battled early nerves and a balky start during the final round of the eGolf Tour’s Island View Casino Championship on Saturday. After making the turn at just even-par for the day, the former UNC Tar Heel star regained his form with four birdies over his final nine holes and a 4-under 68, good for a three-shot win and the event’s $32,000 first-place prize.

Bray’s week at host Windance Country Club opened with rounds of 64-66-66—196 (20-under) and a two-shot lead over tour winner Adam Webb of Ridgeway, VA entering Saturday’s final round.

After a week of stifling heat and humidity, final-round participants were greeted with overcast skies and cooler temperatures on Saturday. The change in atmosphere cooled the red-hot Bray down out of the gate.

An early birdie on the reachable par-5 third took Bray to 21-under par, but it was a “horrible” three-putt bogey on the par-3 eighth that somewhat slowed his march to the event’s trophy presentation. During a week in which red numbers were the norm, Bray found himself at even-par through nine holes, and just two shots clear of a handful of contenders.

“It was pretty touch and go there on the front. The nerves were certainly there, a lot more so than I’ve felt playing down in Florida or wins elsewhere,” he said, referencing three wins this past winter on eGolf Tour Florida.

When Bray stepped up to the tee of the par-4 10th, he re-took control of the event. Stellar approach shots to 10 and 11 gave way to back-to-back birdies and a sudden ascension to 22-under, while a follow-up birdie on the par-4 13th vaulted him to 3-under for the day and 23-under overall.

Dustin Bray

“For whatever reason, something clicked in between No. 9 tee and No. 10 green. I don’t think I hit a shot in the middle of the clubface on the front nine, but then I just started striping it on the back nine,” Bray said. “After the birdie on 13, it was pretty much game on.”

With a four-shot lead over Webb in tow, Bray cruised to the clubhouse. Pars on 14, 15 and 16 kept him at 23-under, while a flawless wedge shot approach to the par-4 17th turned into a kick-in birdie and moved him to minus-24 – a stellar four shots clear of the field with just the par-4 18th to play.

Without an ounce of trouble to be found on the 72nd hole, the former Tar Heel great closed with a routine par and a final-round 68 – good for a four-shot win and a hefty winner’s share of $32,000.

The win marked the fifth of Bray’s eGolf Tour career, which dates on and off back to the 2006 season, where he was the tour’s leading money winner. With his last win coming at the 2009 Walnut Creek, he knew it was only a matter of time before he’d win again – but there was certainly some doubt.

“For whatever reason, I just feel like I’ve had a speed bump to get over in order to win again out here. When I was going through my back injury, I got in such a bad frame of mind, that I questioned whether or not I’d ever win again,” said Bray, citing a back injury that drastically curbed his playing ability a few years ago.

Brandon Smith

When healthy, Bray has shined. The 33-year-old competed on the Web.com Tour from 2007 through 2009, notching four top-10s – including a runner-up finish at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational.

“I’ve wanted to get to this point because I knew this was going to be an important step towards getting back to where I want to be,” he said.

The talented Charleston, SC resident will head from Mississippi to the first stage of Web.com Tour Q-School at Callaway Gardens Resort in Pine Mountain, GA. Eyeing a return trip to the Web.com Tour, and from there hopefully a maiden voyage onto the PGA TOUR, Bray has 32,000 reasons why the pressure may be lighter while playing on a bit more house money.

“This is certainly going to help me going into the winter. Hopefully Q-School goes well. This obviously loosens things up, because it is a pretty major expense. I can’t remember the last time I was excited to go to Q-School. There are a lot of good things happening, so I just want to try and enjoy the ride.”

Brandon Smith of West Palm Beach, FL finished in solo-second place with rounds of 66-70-65-66—267 and a 21-under-par total, three shots back of Bray. He earned $17,000 for the week.

Smith, who sold a family insurance company earlier this year to focus on his golf game, nearly withdrew from the tournament on Tuesday morning. A wrist injury flared up during his practice round, leaving the 32-year-old in pain on nearly every shot. After speaking with tournament officials, he opted to compete, and wound up posting a career-best finish.

Smith birdied four of his first seven holes to turn at 3-under 32 and 20-under overall – just two back of Bray with nine holes to play. Pars on Nos. 10 through 15 kept him five shots back while Bray charged, but a closing trifecta of birdies on 16, 17 and 18 delivered the runner-up effort, thanks to a final-round 66.

Former Mississippi State star Matt Fast of nearby Canton, MS wound up in solo-third place at 20-under 268, four shots back of Bray. He earned $13,000 for the finish.

Matt Fast

The 2014 Web.com Tour member opened his week as one of six players tied for the lead on Wednesday with a round of 8-under 64. Fast carded rounds of 71-68 over the next two days, then unleashed a torrid finish on Saturday with six birdies over his final nine holes for a closing 32 and a final-round 65. The finish marked a career-best for Fast, who narrowly missed out on advancing to the Web.com Tour Finals this year.

Jordan Russell of College Station, TX earned $9,500 for his solo-fourth-place finish with a 72-hole total of 19-under 267.

The 2012 Western Amateur runner-up and former Texas A&M star played bogey-free golf on Saturday with an eagle and four birdies for a closing 66.

· The tour would like to thank Windance head golf professional Kyle Ramey and his staff for their help in coordinating this event. The golf course was in great shape all week, so thank you to golf course superintendent Gavin Bauer and his crew for their tireless efforts in presenting a great venue. Last but not least, thank you to the members of Windance Country Club for allowing the tour to use your club, and for your help in volunteering throughout the week.

· The Million Dollar Championship Series will continue next month with the $250,000 Championship at Red Hawk, to be contested at Red Hawk Golf Resort in Sparks, NV on October 29 – November 1, 2014.