Bradley's birdie at the last wins him
Puerto Rico Open worth $630,000
American Michael Bradley holed a 12ft birdie putt on the very last green to win the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday, worth $632,000 and his first US PGA Tour victory in 11 years. He took advantage of the fact that the world's best players were otherwise engaged at the Doral Resort, Miami.
"I'm almost 43, and you don't know really how many opportunities you're going to have," said Bradley. "I'm not Tiger Woods. So when I do have an opportunity, come a Sunday, that maybe have a chance to win, it's probably a little more special."
Bradley totalled 14-under 274 to win from Jason Day and Brett Quigley at Trump International Golf Club, a palm-fringed 7,526-yard course that was buffeted by wind throughout.
"I didn't know how I would react being in the final group; it's been so long since I've been there," he said. "My short game was good this week. It cured some ills that I had, some off the tee and some iron play, so I have to credit winning this to chipping and putting."
Bradley hit his winning putt at a perfect speed after drastically misreading an eagle effort moments before. His playing partner, Day, had a chance to force a play-off with a birdie putt, but the 21-year-old Australian missed a 7-footer. Day admitted later he was shaking with nerves over the putt.
Bart Bryant and Greg Chalmers, who had an ace at the 202yd 16th, finished another shot behind to tie for fourth at 12-under 276.
Bradley's win earned the 42-year-old Floridian a two-year exemption through the 2011 season and a spot in the 2009 US PGA Championship and the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Bradley, who last year made more cuts and starts on the PGA Tour than at any time since his 2000 season, said he was thrilled to hold back a field of challengers, no matter if Tiger Woods and many of the world's top-ranked players were on the U.S. mainland at the World Golf Championship stop, the CA Championships.
The Puerto Rico Open was Bradley's first tournament of the 2009 season. He played 14 events in 2008 and missed the cut eight times.
FINAL TOTALS
Trump International Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Par 288 (4 x 72)
274 Michael Bradley 67 69 68 70
275 Brett Quigley 68 71 69 67, Jason Day (Aus) 66 68 70 71
276 Bart Bryant 67 68 73 68, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 68 70 70 68
278 John Merrick 70 72 70 66, J.P. Hayes 71 68 71 68
279 Jeff Overton 69 72 70 68
280 Kent Jones 69 69 70 72, D.A. Points 70 68 72 70, Jerry Kelly 70 68 73 69, Joe Durant 71 72 67 70
281 Patrick Sheehan 71 70 71 69, Chris Smith 71 71 68 71, Lee Janzen 69 70 73 69, Alex Cejka (Ger) 68 69 74 70, Derek Lamely 66 71 77 67, Jay Williamson 71 70 67 73, Bryce Molder 67 69 72 73, Jonathan Byrd 68 72 73 68
282 Omar Uresti 71 67 70 74, Paul Stankowski 69 72 70 71, Greg Kraft 71 71 70 70, Ronnie Black 69 68 74 71, Charles Howell III 69 69 77 67, Jay Delsing 70 72 71 69, Robert Damron 70 71 74 67, Scott Sterling 69 69 74 70, Matt Weibring 70 70 74 68, Tommy Gainey 72 70 72 68
283 Tadd Fujikawa 70 68 75 70, Aron Price (Aus) 70 71 68 74, Shaun Micheel 71 71 71 70, Corey Pavin 69 69 73 72, Cliff Kresge 67 69 72 75, Troy Matteson 68 69 75 71, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 67 77 68
284 Charles Warren 70 73 71 70, Robert Garrigus 70 68 74 72, Ted Purdy 71 69 73 71, Alan Wagner 73 69 72 70, Rich Beem 70 73 72 69, Carlos Franco (Par) 76 67 70 71
285 Tom Scherrer 71 70 71 73, Estanislao Goya (Arg) 69 67 74 75, Eric Axley 72 70 72 71, David Berganio jun 71 71 70 73, Manuel Villegas (Col) 72 71 69 73, John Mallinger 69 70 74 72, Matthew Jones (Aus) 70 64 79 72, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 71 71 69 74, Kevin Stadler 67 75 72 71, Michael Allen 69 74 69 73, Brandt Snedeker 69 74 72 70, Ryan Moore 72 71 72 70, Jason Gore 74 69 71 71
286 Kris Blanks 72 70 69 75, Colt Knost 71 67 73 75, Andy Matthews 73 68 72 73, Neal Lancaster 70 73 72 71, Mark Brooks 70 71 74 71, John Huston 71 70 73 72, Glen Day 72 67 76 71
287 Casey Wittenberg 69 72 77 69, Rick Price 69 72 76 70
288 Ricky Barnes 69 71 76 72, Guy Boros 74 68 72 74, Tyler Aldridge 69 73 73 73
289 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 71 70 72 76, Derek Fathauer 74 69 74 72, Robin Freeman 71 72 72 74, Notah Begay III 70 72 75 72, Bo Van Pelt 74 67 75 73
290 Scott Gutschewski 72 69 74 75, Rocco Mediate 68 70 75 77
292 Jimmy Walker 72 71 75 74, Matthew Borchert 71 70 78 73
Puerto Rico Open worth $630,000
American Michael Bradley holed a 12ft birdie putt on the very last green to win the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday, worth $632,000 and his first US PGA Tour victory in 11 years. He took advantage of the fact that the world's best players were otherwise engaged at the Doral Resort, Miami.
"I'm almost 43, and you don't know really how many opportunities you're going to have," said Bradley. "I'm not Tiger Woods. So when I do have an opportunity, come a Sunday, that maybe have a chance to win, it's probably a little more special."
Bradley totalled 14-under 274 to win from Jason Day and Brett Quigley at Trump International Golf Club, a palm-fringed 7,526-yard course that was buffeted by wind throughout.
"I didn't know how I would react being in the final group; it's been so long since I've been there," he said. "My short game was good this week. It cured some ills that I had, some off the tee and some iron play, so I have to credit winning this to chipping and putting."
Bradley hit his winning putt at a perfect speed after drastically misreading an eagle effort moments before. His playing partner, Day, had a chance to force a play-off with a birdie putt, but the 21-year-old Australian missed a 7-footer. Day admitted later he was shaking with nerves over the putt.
Bart Bryant and Greg Chalmers, who had an ace at the 202yd 16th, finished another shot behind to tie for fourth at 12-under 276.
Bradley's win earned the 42-year-old Floridian a two-year exemption through the 2011 season and a spot in the 2009 US PGA Championship and the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Bradley, who last year made more cuts and starts on the PGA Tour than at any time since his 2000 season, said he was thrilled to hold back a field of challengers, no matter if Tiger Woods and many of the world's top-ranked players were on the U.S. mainland at the World Golf Championship stop, the CA Championships.
The Puerto Rico Open was Bradley's first tournament of the 2009 season. He played 14 events in 2008 and missed the cut eight times.
FINAL TOTALS
Trump International Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Par 288 (4 x 72)
274 Michael Bradley 67 69 68 70
275 Brett Quigley 68 71 69 67, Jason Day (Aus) 66 68 70 71
276 Bart Bryant 67 68 73 68, Greg Chalmers (Aus) 68 70 70 68
278 John Merrick 70 72 70 66, J.P. Hayes 71 68 71 68
279 Jeff Overton 69 72 70 68
280 Kent Jones 69 69 70 72, D.A. Points 70 68 72 70, Jerry Kelly 70 68 73 69, Joe Durant 71 72 67 70
281 Patrick Sheehan 71 70 71 69, Chris Smith 71 71 68 71, Lee Janzen 69 70 73 69, Alex Cejka (Ger) 68 69 74 70, Derek Lamely 66 71 77 67, Jay Williamson 71 70 67 73, Bryce Molder 67 69 72 73, Jonathan Byrd 68 72 73 68
282 Omar Uresti 71 67 70 74, Paul Stankowski 69 72 70 71, Greg Kraft 71 71 70 70, Ronnie Black 69 68 74 71, Charles Howell III 69 69 77 67, Jay Delsing 70 72 71 69, Robert Damron 70 71 74 67, Scott Sterling 69 69 74 70, Matt Weibring 70 70 74 68, Tommy Gainey 72 70 72 68
283 Tadd Fujikawa 70 68 75 70, Aron Price (Aus) 70 71 68 74, Shaun Micheel 71 71 71 70, Corey Pavin 69 69 73 72, Cliff Kresge 67 69 72 75, Troy Matteson 68 69 75 71, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 67 77 68
284 Charles Warren 70 73 71 70, Robert Garrigus 70 68 74 72, Ted Purdy 71 69 73 71, Alan Wagner 73 69 72 70, Rich Beem 70 73 72 69, Carlos Franco (Par) 76 67 70 71
285 Tom Scherrer 71 70 71 73, Estanislao Goya (Arg) 69 67 74 75, Eric Axley 72 70 72 71, David Berganio jun 71 71 70 73, Manuel Villegas (Col) 72 71 69 73, John Mallinger 69 70 74 72, Matthew Jones (Aus) 70 64 79 72, Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 71 71 69 74, Kevin Stadler 67 75 72 71, Michael Allen 69 74 69 73, Brandt Snedeker 69 74 72 70, Ryan Moore 72 71 72 70, Jason Gore 74 69 71 71
286 Kris Blanks 72 70 69 75, Colt Knost 71 67 73 75, Andy Matthews 73 68 72 73, Neal Lancaster 70 73 72 71, Mark Brooks 70 71 74 71, John Huston 71 70 73 72, Glen Day 72 67 76 71
287 Casey Wittenberg 69 72 77 69, Rick Price 69 72 76 70
288 Ricky Barnes 69 71 76 72, Guy Boros 74 68 72 74, Tyler Aldridge 69 73 73 73
289 Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 71 70 72 76, Derek Fathauer 74 69 74 72, Robin Freeman 71 72 72 74, Notah Begay III 70 72 75 72, Bo Van Pelt 74 67 75 73
290 Scott Gutschewski 72 69 74 75, Rocco Mediate 68 70 75 77
292 Jimmy Walker 72 71 75 74, Matthew Borchert 71 70 78 73
Labels: US PGA TOUR, US PRO TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, March 16, 2009
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