KIRK TRIPLETT SCORES FIRST WIN ON NATIONWIDE TOUR AT 49
FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee. Three-time winner on the US PGA Tour, Kirk Triplett may have thought his best days were behind him but the 49-year old from Scottsdale, Arizona converted his one-stroke 54-hole lead into his first victory on the US Nationwide Tour at the 22nd News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot on Sunday.
By the time the final group made their way to the first tee there were 24 players within four strokes of the lead. Triplett fired a 4-under 68 in the final round to escape from the pack and post 21-under 267.
Marco Dawson (68), who is 48-years old, finished two shots back at 19-under in solo second and moved from 52nd to 22nd on the Nationwide Tour money list. Californian John Mallinger (70) and lefty Ted Potter, Jr. (69) finished three-strokes back at 18-under and T3.
Triplett picks up his first Nationwide Tour victory in just his 12th career start and fifth of the year. He moved from 119th on the money list to No. 33.
"I've played a lot of years on the US Tour and I'm sort of in the twilight part of my career but feeling those competitive juices down the stretch and seeing all these great young players made me feel a lot younger," said Triplett, who earned his first US Tour victory in his 266th career start.
"The quality of these golfers over the last 15-20 years has gotten better and better and the game is in great hands."
Triplett's final-round began with six pars before rolling in his first birdie on the par-4 7th hole. After making one more birdie on the front nine he found himself tied with five others at 19-under par heading to the par-5 10th tee. It appeared to be anyone's tournament for the taking but Triplett kept to his guns and let the others make the mistakes.
"It was evolving really slowly today. There wasn't anybody really making a move," said Triplett, whose most recent win came at the PGA TOUR's 2006 Chrysler Classic of Tucson. "I just felt if I made a couple of birdies on the front and one or two more on the back then the last three holes would sort it out and that's really what ended up happening."
The 22-year US Tour veteran kept making pars on the back nine, coupled with a pair of birdies, as those around him buckled under the pressure. He came into the par-5 18th hole with a two-shot lead and decided to make the smart play and lay up. From there he struck a wedge to 20 feet where he two-putted for par en route to collecting the first-place check of $90,000. His only bogeys of the week came on his second and third holes of the first round.
"I said it the other day, when I play out here I want to win and be competitive," said the oldest winner in Nationwide Tour history at 49 year, four months and 29 days. "I came in here with the working man's attitude. I want to work on my game and be sharp. All the practice and working out is great but nothing compares to being in the lead or near the lead in a golf tournament. It really shows what you're capable of when you put yourself in that position."
Final-Round Notes
• Mathew Goggin, who has won twice this year on the Nationwide Tour, reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the money list after posting rounds of 71-63-68-70 to finish T8 and collect $13,500. He now has $357,352 for the year, $6,345 ahead of No. 2 on the money list, J.J. Killeen who posted rounds of 67-72-68-74 to finish T50.
• John Daly, who played on a sponsor's exemption, recorded rounds of 70-65-74-68 to end at 11-under 277. He finished T32.
• Two-time US Tour winner Boo Weekley played in his first Nationwide Tour event since the 2006 Nationwide Tour Championship, carded rounds of 70-67-68-72 to finish at 11-under par (T32). Weekley missed the US Tour's Playoffs for the FedExCup by finishing outside the top-125 in the point standings (157th).
Inverness exile Russell Knox finished joint 42nd with scores of 72, 66, 67 and 74 for 279 which earned him $2,100, probably enough to meet his week's expenses.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND PRIZEMONEY
CLICK HERE
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee. Three-time winner on the US PGA Tour, Kirk Triplett may have thought his best days were behind him but the 49-year old from Scottsdale, Arizona converted his one-stroke 54-hole lead into his first victory on the US Nationwide Tour at the 22nd News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot on Sunday.
By the time the final group made their way to the first tee there were 24 players within four strokes of the lead. Triplett fired a 4-under 68 in the final round to escape from the pack and post 21-under 267.
Marco Dawson (68), who is 48-years old, finished two shots back at 19-under in solo second and moved from 52nd to 22nd on the Nationwide Tour money list. Californian John Mallinger (70) and lefty Ted Potter, Jr. (69) finished three-strokes back at 18-under and T3.
Triplett picks up his first Nationwide Tour victory in just his 12th career start and fifth of the year. He moved from 119th on the money list to No. 33.
"I've played a lot of years on the US Tour and I'm sort of in the twilight part of my career but feeling those competitive juices down the stretch and seeing all these great young players made me feel a lot younger," said Triplett, who earned his first US Tour victory in his 266th career start.
"The quality of these golfers over the last 15-20 years has gotten better and better and the game is in great hands."
Triplett's final-round began with six pars before rolling in his first birdie on the par-4 7th hole. After making one more birdie on the front nine he found himself tied with five others at 19-under par heading to the par-5 10th tee. It appeared to be anyone's tournament for the taking but Triplett kept to his guns and let the others make the mistakes.
"It was evolving really slowly today. There wasn't anybody really making a move," said Triplett, whose most recent win came at the PGA TOUR's 2006 Chrysler Classic of Tucson. "I just felt if I made a couple of birdies on the front and one or two more on the back then the last three holes would sort it out and that's really what ended up happening."
The 22-year US Tour veteran kept making pars on the back nine, coupled with a pair of birdies, as those around him buckled under the pressure. He came into the par-5 18th hole with a two-shot lead and decided to make the smart play and lay up. From there he struck a wedge to 20 feet where he two-putted for par en route to collecting the first-place check of $90,000. His only bogeys of the week came on his second and third holes of the first round.
"I said it the other day, when I play out here I want to win and be competitive," said the oldest winner in Nationwide Tour history at 49 year, four months and 29 days. "I came in here with the working man's attitude. I want to work on my game and be sharp. All the practice and working out is great but nothing compares to being in the lead or near the lead in a golf tournament. It really shows what you're capable of when you put yourself in that position."
Final-Round Notes
• Mathew Goggin, who has won twice this year on the Nationwide Tour, reclaimed the No. 1 spot on the money list after posting rounds of 71-63-68-70 to finish T8 and collect $13,500. He now has $357,352 for the year, $6,345 ahead of No. 2 on the money list, J.J. Killeen who posted rounds of 67-72-68-74 to finish T50.
• John Daly, who played on a sponsor's exemption, recorded rounds of 70-65-74-68 to end at 11-under 277. He finished T32.
• Two-time US Tour winner Boo Weekley played in his first Nationwide Tour event since the 2006 Nationwide Tour Championship, carded rounds of 70-67-68-72 to finish at 11-under par (T32). Weekley missed the US Tour's Playoffs for the FedExCup by finishing outside the top-125 in the point standings (157th).
Inverness exile Russell Knox finished joint 42nd with scores of 72, 66, 67 and 74 for 279 which earned him $2,100, probably enough to meet his week's expenses.
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES AND PRIZEMONEY
CLICK HERE
Labels: NATIONWIDE TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, August 29, 2011
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