CARY - When golfer Kenny Perry got news of his sister Kay's death in a Nashville, Tenn., hospital late Saturday, he prepared to withdraw from the SAS Championship.

"My dad (Kenneth) and I talked by phone, and he talked me into staying," Perry said.

After rounds of 66 and 69, Perry had a share of the lead following Saturday's play at Prestonwood Country Club. His tee time, along with fellow 36-hole leaders John Huston and Nick Price, was 12:03 p.m. Sunday.

"I wanted to come home, but he wanted me to stay. It was a long night, didn't sleep a lot.

"Dad told me to stay and represent Kay."

Perry, 51, a resident of Franklin, Tenn., responded with his first win on the PGA Champions Tour.

A final round 2-under 70 on Sunday at the 7,217-yard course gave him a one-stroke edge over Jeff Sluman and Huston, who finished the 54-hole event at 206. Price struggled, finishing with a 75 and tied for sixth.

Kay Perry, 59, succumbed to cancer Saturday night, exactly two years to the day after Perry's mother, Mildred, also passed away from cancer.

"All I did was think of her and think of my mom. I lost them both on the same date - Oct. 1. It's unbelievable. I really wasn't thinking a lot about winning. I just wanted to make her proud."

Perry's win was secured with a 30-foot eagle putt on the 53^rd hole. After easily reaching the 503-yard, par-5 No. 17 in two strokes, Perry holed the long putt and moved two strokes ahead of Sluman.

Huston then matched Perry's eagle.

With a two-stroke lead at the 417-yard No. 18, Perry missed a short putt for par but had enough cushion to claim the $315,000 winner's share of the $2.1 million purse.

Before Perry's eagle, the final round was unpredictable throughout. In gusty winds and dry conditions, the greens got fast and club selection tricky.

The average round score of 72.657 was among the highest in the 11-year SAS history.

"It was two, two-and-half shots harder out there today," said Sluman. "Kenny deserves a lot of credit for hanging in there the way he did and under those circumstances in his family.

"I think all of us were sort of pulling for him. It was how it should have ended. Congratulations to him."

Although it was Perry's first Champions Tour win, he had 14 victories on the PGA Tour.

As recently as the 2009 season, Perry won two PGA Tour events.