Tiger misses 7ft putt - and Heath Slocum
wins The Barclays by one strokes
Tiger Woods' aura of invincibility continues to fade. His latest could-have-won, should-have-won defeat came in The Barclays tournament at the much criticised Liberty National course at Jersey City today.
Heath Slocum made a 20-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a one-shot victory over Woods and others.
Tiger was one shot behind when he fired a 6-iron from 189 yards into 7 feet on the final hole, adding to his collection of clutch shots. Typical of his week, however, Woods missed the putt and shot 67, then had to wait to see if there would be a play-off.
Slocum and Steve Stricker, tied for the lead, both hit into fairway bunkers and couldn’t reach the green. Slocum raised both arms in the air when his par putt broke gently back to the left and disappeared into the cup.
Stricker had a 10-foot par putt to force a play-off, and but lipped out and he closed with a 69.
Ernie Els (66) and Padraig Harrington (67) also finished one shot behind Slocum. Els had his clubs loaded into the trunk of his car when he heard the cheers for Woods’ approach to the 18th green.
Then came a groan when Woods missed, followed by news that Slocum and Stricker were in trouble off the tee. Before long, Els was on the driving range warming up for a possible five-way play-off that never happened when Slocum made the biggest putt of his career.
In the third year of these playoffs, the FedEx Cup finally has a winner that resembles a real underdog.
Slocum qualified for these play-offs with only two points to spare – he was No. 124 out of 125 players who advance to this post-season bonanza. His victory moves him to No. 3 in the standings, assuring him a spot in the Tour Championship and a shot at the $10 million prize.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Slocum said. “I was sweating it out last week. I didn’t even know if I’d be here. I came in here with the attitude that I had nothing to lose.”
He turned into a huge winner.
Slocum, who came into The Barclays at No. 197 in the world ranking, finished at 9-under 275 and earned $1.35 million for his third career PGA Tour victory, and first in four years. His other two victories were opposite-field events, when the best players in the world were competing elsewhere.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71):
275 Heath Slocum 66 72 70 67
276 Steve Stricker 69 70 68 69, Tiger Woods 70 72 67 67, Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 68 70 66, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 67 75 67 67
277 Nick Watney 68 73 69 67, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 66 72 68 71
278 Webb Simpson 66 68 72 72
279 Paul Goydos 65 71 68 75, Ian Poulter (Eng) 67 72 70 70, Scott Verplank 73 70 68 68
280 Brian Gay 70 72 71 67, Brandt Snedeker 72 75 67 66, Jason Day (Aus) 70 73 70 67
281 Dustin Johnson 70 74 73 64, Steve Marino 65 71 68 77, Jim Furyk 69 73 70 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 68 75 69 69, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 74 65 71
282 Hunter Mahan 72 72 68 70, Lee Janzen 68 75 70 69, Troy Matteson 71 71 69 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 71 72 68 71
283 Kevin Na 73 72 71 67, Bill Haas 72 70 69 72, Tim Clark (Rsa) 71 70 71 71, Jonathan Byrd 72 74 67 70
284 Zach Johnson 70 72 67 75, Matt Kuchar 68 73 68 75, Stewart Cink 70 72 71 71
285 Charley Hoffman 66 74 71 74, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 65 76 74 70, David Toms 67 75 71 72, D.A. Points 70 71 74 70, J.B. Holmes 73 73 69 70, Justin Leonard 68 75 72 70, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 68 71 73 73, Mike Weir (Can) 71 71 72 71, Bo Van Pelt 70 74 66 75, Luke Donald (Eng) 73 69 73 70
286 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 68 73 69 76, Ben Crane 74 73 69 70, Justin Rose (Eng) 73 72 69 72, Boo Weekley 75 70 74 67, Fred Couples 71 76 69 70
287 Chris Riley 72 75 70 70, Bob Estes 73 74 70 70, Chad Campbell 72 75 70 70, Davis Love III 70 75 72 70, Tim Petrovic 69 76 74 68, John Mallinger 74 72 70 71
288 Kenny Perry 71 75 71 71, Phil Mickelson 70 75 74 69, Jerry Kelly 72 74 76 66, Anthony Kim 75 71 71 71, Harrison Frazar 73 71 72 72, Kevin Sutherland 69 76 75 68
289 Daniel Chopra (Swe) 77 69 71 72, Adam Scott (Aus) 75 72 72 70, Cameron Beckman 70 72 74 73, James Nitties (Aus) 71 75 73 70, Kevin Streelman 68 78 69 74, Mark Wilson 72 75 72 70
290 Bill Lunde 70 73 71 76, Vaughn Taylor 71 76 69 74, John Senden (Aus) 72 73 71 74
291 Charlie Wi (Kor) 73 73 73 72, J J Henry 72 73 74 72, Brett Quigley 70 77 72 72
292 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 70 74 74 74, Charles Howell III 76 70 72 74, Ryan Moore 68 78 77 69
293 John Rollins 71 73 73 76, Jeff Overton 72 71 77 73, Alex Cejka (Ger) 71 72 77 73
299 Joe Ogilvie 73 72 78 76
300 Todd Hamilton 71 74 79 76
wins The Barclays by one strokes
Tiger Woods' aura of invincibility continues to fade. His latest could-have-won, should-have-won defeat came in The Barclays tournament at the much criticised Liberty National course at Jersey City today.
Heath Slocum made a 20-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a one-shot victory over Woods and others.
Tiger was one shot behind when he fired a 6-iron from 189 yards into 7 feet on the final hole, adding to his collection of clutch shots. Typical of his week, however, Woods missed the putt and shot 67, then had to wait to see if there would be a play-off.
Slocum and Steve Stricker, tied for the lead, both hit into fairway bunkers and couldn’t reach the green. Slocum raised both arms in the air when his par putt broke gently back to the left and disappeared into the cup.
Stricker had a 10-foot par putt to force a play-off, and but lipped out and he closed with a 69.
Ernie Els (66) and Padraig Harrington (67) also finished one shot behind Slocum. Els had his clubs loaded into the trunk of his car when he heard the cheers for Woods’ approach to the 18th green.
Then came a groan when Woods missed, followed by news that Slocum and Stricker were in trouble off the tee. Before long, Els was on the driving range warming up for a possible five-way play-off that never happened when Slocum made the biggest putt of his career.
In the third year of these playoffs, the FedEx Cup finally has a winner that resembles a real underdog.
Slocum qualified for these play-offs with only two points to spare – he was No. 124 out of 125 players who advance to this post-season bonanza. His victory moves him to No. 3 in the standings, assuring him a spot in the Tour Championship and a shot at the $10 million prize.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Slocum said. “I was sweating it out last week. I didn’t even know if I’d be here. I came in here with the attitude that I had nothing to lose.”
He turned into a huge winner.
Slocum, who came into The Barclays at No. 197 in the world ranking, finished at 9-under 275 and earned $1.35 million for his third career PGA Tour victory, and first in four years. His other two victories were opposite-field events, when the best players in the world were competing elsewhere.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71):
275 Heath Slocum 66 72 70 67
276 Steve Stricker 69 70 68 69, Tiger Woods 70 72 67 67, Ernie Els (Rsa) 72 68 70 66, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 67 75 67 67
277 Nick Watney 68 73 69 67, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 66 72 68 71
278 Webb Simpson 66 68 72 72
279 Paul Goydos 65 71 68 75, Ian Poulter (Eng) 67 72 70 70, Scott Verplank 73 70 68 68
280 Brian Gay 70 72 71 67, Brandt Snedeker 72 75 67 66, Jason Day (Aus) 70 73 70 67
281 Dustin Johnson 70 74 73 64, Steve Marino 65 71 68 77, Jim Furyk 69 73 70 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 68 75 69 69, Greg Owen (Eng) 71 74 65 71
282 Hunter Mahan 72 72 68 70, Lee Janzen 68 75 70 69, Troy Matteson 71 71 69 71, Y.E. Yang (Kor) 71 72 68 71
283 Kevin Na 73 72 71 67, Bill Haas 72 70 69 72, Tim Clark (Rsa) 71 70 71 71, Jonathan Byrd 72 74 67 70
284 Zach Johnson 70 72 67 75, Matt Kuchar 68 73 68 75, Stewart Cink 70 72 71 71
285 Charley Hoffman 66 74 71 74, Sergio Garcia (Spa) 65 76 74 70, David Toms 67 75 71 72, D.A. Points 70 71 74 70, J.B. Holmes 73 73 69 70, Justin Leonard 68 75 72 70, Richard S Johnson (Swe) 68 71 73 73, Mike Weir (Can) 71 71 72 71, Bo Van Pelt 70 74 66 75, Luke Donald (Eng) 73 69 73 70
286 Rodney Pampling (Aus) 68 73 69 76, Ben Crane 74 73 69 70, Justin Rose (Eng) 73 72 69 72, Boo Weekley 75 70 74 67, Fred Couples 71 76 69 70
287 Chris Riley 72 75 70 70, Bob Estes 73 74 70 70, Chad Campbell 72 75 70 70, Davis Love III 70 75 72 70, Tim Petrovic 69 76 74 68, John Mallinger 74 72 70 71
288 Kenny Perry 71 75 71 71, Phil Mickelson 70 75 74 69, Jerry Kelly 72 74 76 66, Anthony Kim 75 71 71 71, Harrison Frazar 73 71 72 72, Kevin Sutherland 69 76 75 68
289 Daniel Chopra (Swe) 77 69 71 72, Adam Scott (Aus) 75 72 72 70, Cameron Beckman 70 72 74 73, James Nitties (Aus) 71 75 73 70, Kevin Streelman 68 78 69 74, Mark Wilson 72 75 72 70
290 Bill Lunde 70 73 71 76, Vaughn Taylor 71 76 69 74, John Senden (Aus) 72 73 71 74
291 Charlie Wi (Kor) 73 73 73 72, J J Henry 72 73 74 72, Brett Quigley 70 77 72 72
292 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 70 74 74 74, Charles Howell III 76 70 72 74, Ryan Moore 68 78 77 69
293 John Rollins 71 73 73 76, Jeff Overton 72 71 77 73, Alex Cejka (Ger) 71 72 77 73
299 Joe Ogilvie 73 72 78 76
300 Todd Hamilton 71 74 79 76
Labels: US PGA TOUR, US PRO TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, August 30, 2009
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