Garrigus catches Thatcher to win Disney finale
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Robert Garrigus shot an 8-under 64 to win the Children's Miracle Network Classic on Sunday, allowing him to keep his US PGA Tour card and atoning for his colossal collapse earlier this year at Memphis.
Garrigus finished three shots clear of Roland Thatcher for his first Tour victory.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," he said simply.
Garrigus began the week 122nd in earnings and needed a solid finish to stay inside the top 125 -- the cutoff for full US PGA Tour status. Thatcher shot a final-round 70 and jumped from 179th to 122nd to keep his playing privileges, blowing a four-stroke lead but keeping his job.
The victory was sweet redemption for Garrigus.
He made triple-bogey with a three-shot lead on the final hole at Memphis, allowing Lee Westwood to win his only event this year -- a win that allowed him to earn the No. 1 ranking.
The anxiety was on dozens of others to keep their cards, but no more than at the top.
Garrigus began the final round five strokes behind Thatcher -- who led everyone by at least four -- and put pressure on a player who needed an even stronger finish. Thatcher had to have at least a solo second place or he was heading to qualifying school next week.
That won't be necessary for either of them now.
Thatcher imploded with three bogeys on the back nine, including back-to-back at 16 and 17, when he badly misread putts. But he saved his card with a pressure-packed par putt from 5-feet on No. 18, barely pumping his fist while taking a huge sigh in relief.
"You'll never see a happier guy who just vomited away a tournament," Thatcher said.
In Memphis earlier this year, Garrigus knocked his tee shot into the woods, then hit one off a tree and eventually settled for triple-bogey. Then he bogeyed the first playoff hole.
It was a similar scenario this time around.
Garrigus had a two-stroke lead before he teed off on 18, but the shot found a patch of rough far left. Fortunately, the ball kicked back right, rolled onto the fringe and eventually had an easier approach to save par.
Thatcher joined Mark Wilson (123) and Michael Connell (115) as the only players this week to jump inside the top 125 after starting the week outside of it.
Meanwhile, Troy Merritt defeated Rickie Fowler and Aaron Baddeley in a play-off to win the $1 million Kodak Challenge.
FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72)
267 Robert Garrigus 68 65 70 64
270 Roland Thatcher 65 63 70 72
271 Spencer Levin 68 68 67 68, Johnson Wagner 70 65 69 67, Rickie Fowler 66 70 69 66
272 Mark Wilson 69 66 69 68
273 Chris Stroud 62 70 70 71, Michael Connell 71 68 67 67
274 Charles Warren 67 70 69 68, Steve Marino 72 68 65 69, Charles Howell III 68 69 69 68
275 Jerry Kelly 66 69 70 70, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 67 71 66 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 71 68 67, Brian Gay 67 65 71 72, John Senden (Aus) 69 69 67 70
276 Paul Stankowski 72 67 71 66, Brett Wetterich 68 67 68 73
277 Davis Love III 71 70 70 66, Ryan Palmer 72 68 70 67, Tom Lehman 67 70 69 71, Stewart Cink 71 68 69 69
278 John Merrick 71 66 70 71, Justin Bolli 68 73 68 69, Cliff Kresge 70 66 68 74, Briny Baird 70 67 72 69
279 Jeff Quinney 67 68 71 73, Tim Petrovic 71 67 71 70, Cameron Percy (Aus) 66 71 69 73
280 Michael Letzig 69 70 71 70, Brendon De Jonge 72 65 71 72, Pat Perez 69 69 69 73, Ted Purdy 68 71 72 69, John Mallinger 70 68 72 70, Tom Pernice Jnr. 68 70 68 74, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 66 71 70 73, Chris Tidland 67 70 72 71, Sean O'Hair 70 70 70 70, Troy Merritt 69 71 73 67
281 Joe Durant 72 69 67 73, Brett Quigley 69 66 71 75, Matthew Every 68 73 70 70, John Huston 69 71 69 72, Webb Simpson 71 69 72 69
282 David Lutterus (Rsa) 68 70 73 71, Tim Herron 66 75 72 69, Heath Slocum 71 68 73 70, Fred Funk 68 72 70 72, Derek Lamely 70 70 70 72, J.B. Holmes 68 69 73 72, Troy Matteson 70 69 72 71, Jason Bohn 68 70 71 73, D.J. Trahan 68 68 72 74
283 Mathew Goggin (Aus) 70 68 73 72, Steve Flesch 72 69 73 69, Joe Ogilvie 71 69 71 72, Lee Janzen 69 69 70 75, Ben Curtis 69 70 70 74, Tom Gillis 71 66 72 74
284 Greg Owen (Eng) 69 68 75 72
285 Charlie Wi (Kor) 72 68 70 75, Jeff Maggert 71 69 72 73, Roger Tambellini 69 72 72 72, Blake Adams 73 68 71 73
286 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 70 71 74 71, Aron Price (Aus) 69 71 72 74, Martin Flores 73 66 76 71, Mike Small 70 71 71 74, Scott Piercy 70 70 73 73, Matt Bettencourt 71 68 71 76
287 Jay Williamson 69 72 73 73
288 Chris DiMarco 68 73 75 72, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 74 66 73 75
295 Nicholas Thompson 71 69 74 81
TO ACCESS THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE'S IN-DEPTH SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) -- Robert Garrigus shot an 8-under 64 to win the Children's Miracle Network Classic on Sunday, allowing him to keep his US PGA Tour card and atoning for his colossal collapse earlier this year at Memphis.
Garrigus finished three shots clear of Roland Thatcher for his first Tour victory.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," he said simply.
Garrigus began the week 122nd in earnings and needed a solid finish to stay inside the top 125 -- the cutoff for full US PGA Tour status. Thatcher shot a final-round 70 and jumped from 179th to 122nd to keep his playing privileges, blowing a four-stroke lead but keeping his job.
The victory was sweet redemption for Garrigus.
He made triple-bogey with a three-shot lead on the final hole at Memphis, allowing Lee Westwood to win his only event this year -- a win that allowed him to earn the No. 1 ranking.
The anxiety was on dozens of others to keep their cards, but no more than at the top.
Garrigus began the final round five strokes behind Thatcher -- who led everyone by at least four -- and put pressure on a player who needed an even stronger finish. Thatcher had to have at least a solo second place or he was heading to qualifying school next week.
That won't be necessary for either of them now.
Thatcher imploded with three bogeys on the back nine, including back-to-back at 16 and 17, when he badly misread putts. But he saved his card with a pressure-packed par putt from 5-feet on No. 18, barely pumping his fist while taking a huge sigh in relief.
"You'll never see a happier guy who just vomited away a tournament," Thatcher said.
In Memphis earlier this year, Garrigus knocked his tee shot into the woods, then hit one off a tree and eventually settled for triple-bogey. Then he bogeyed the first playoff hole.
It was a similar scenario this time around.
Garrigus had a two-stroke lead before he teed off on 18, but the shot found a patch of rough far left. Fortunately, the ball kicked back right, rolled onto the fringe and eventually had an easier approach to save par.
Thatcher joined Mark Wilson (123) and Michael Connell (115) as the only players this week to jump inside the top 125 after starting the week outside of it.
Meanwhile, Troy Merritt defeated Rickie Fowler and Aaron Baddeley in a play-off to win the $1 million Kodak Challenge.
FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72)
267 Robert Garrigus 68 65 70 64
270 Roland Thatcher 65 63 70 72
271 Spencer Levin 68 68 67 68, Johnson Wagner 70 65 69 67, Rickie Fowler 66 70 69 66
272 Mark Wilson 69 66 69 68
273 Chris Stroud 62 70 70 71, Michael Connell 71 68 67 67
274 Charles Warren 67 70 69 68, Steve Marino 72 68 65 69, Charles Howell III 68 69 69 68
275 Jerry Kelly 66 69 70 70, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 67 71 66 71, Vijay Singh (Fij) 69 71 68 67, Brian Gay 67 65 71 72, John Senden (Aus) 69 69 67 70
276 Paul Stankowski 72 67 71 66, Brett Wetterich 68 67 68 73
277 Davis Love III 71 70 70 66, Ryan Palmer 72 68 70 67, Tom Lehman 67 70 69 71, Stewart Cink 71 68 69 69
278 John Merrick 71 66 70 71, Justin Bolli 68 73 68 69, Cliff Kresge 70 66 68 74, Briny Baird 70 67 72 69
279 Jeff Quinney 67 68 71 73, Tim Petrovic 71 67 71 70, Cameron Percy (Aus) 66 71 69 73
280 Michael Letzig 69 70 71 70, Brendon De Jonge 72 65 71 72, Pat Perez 69 69 69 73, Ted Purdy 68 71 72 69, John Mallinger 70 68 72 70, Tom Pernice Jnr. 68 70 68 74, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 66 71 70 73, Chris Tidland 67 70 72 71, Sean O'Hair 70 70 70 70, Troy Merritt 69 71 73 67
281 Joe Durant 72 69 67 73, Brett Quigley 69 66 71 75, Matthew Every 68 73 70 70, John Huston 69 71 69 72, Webb Simpson 71 69 72 69
282 David Lutterus (Rsa) 68 70 73 71, Tim Herron 66 75 72 69, Heath Slocum 71 68 73 70, Fred Funk 68 72 70 72, Derek Lamely 70 70 70 72, J.B. Holmes 68 69 73 72, Troy Matteson 70 69 72 71, Jason Bohn 68 70 71 73, D.J. Trahan 68 68 72 74
283 Mathew Goggin (Aus) 70 68 73 72, Steve Flesch 72 69 73 69, Joe Ogilvie 71 69 71 72, Lee Janzen 69 69 70 75, Ben Curtis 69 70 70 74, Tom Gillis 71 66 72 74
284 Greg Owen (Eng) 69 68 75 72
285 Charlie Wi (Kor) 72 68 70 75, Jeff Maggert 71 69 72 73, Roger Tambellini 69 72 72 72, Blake Adams 73 68 71 73
286 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 70 71 74 71, Aron Price (Aus) 69 71 72 74, Martin Flores 73 66 76 71, Mike Small 70 71 71 74, Scott Piercy 70 70 73 73, Matt Bettencourt 71 68 71 76
287 Jay Williamson 69 72 73 73
288 Chris DiMarco 68 73 75 72, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 74 66 73 75
295 Nicholas Thompson 71 69 74 81
TO ACCESS THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE'S IN-DEPTH SCOREBOARD
CLICK HERE
Labels: US PGA TOUR, US PRO TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, November 14, 2010
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