WEB.COM TOUR REPORT AND SCOREBOARD
ROOKIE MEXICAN CARLOS ORTIZ (22)
WINS AT PANAMA CITY
FROM THE WEB.COM TOUR WEBSITE
WINS AT PANAMA CITY
FROM THE WEB.COM TOUR WEBSITE
PANAMA CITY, Panama – Carlos Ortiz is only 22 years old but the Tour
rookie from Mexico displayed nerves of a veteran Sunday as he put
together a flawless final round at the Panama Claro Championship and
earned his first career title on the Web.com Tour.
Ortiz began the last day one shot back of leader and playing partner Aron Price but established himself as the man to beat with three consecutive birdies midway through the front nine at the Panama Golf Club.
Ortiz, who now calls Dallas home, moved into the lead when the 31-year old Aussie Price stumbled early. A birdie at the par-3, 8th put Ortiz at 10-under and in control.
He later added a pair of birdies on the back nine to pull away from the field and finish with a 6-under 64 and a 12-under total of 268.
Veteran Jason Gore did his best to pressure the Tour newcomer but never got closer than three down the stretch. Gore’s 66 was good for solo second but four shots back.
Florida State’s Daniel Berger, 20, carded a 67 to reach 7-under 273 which tied him for third place with Derek Fathauer (67) and Price (70).
“I still can’t believe it,” said Ortiz. “I started kind of shaky. I was pretty nervous, I can admit it. I didn’t have a number in mind but I knew if I could shoot under par I would have a chance. The only thing I wanted was to have a chance on the back nine. I had it and I took it.”
As temperatures hit the low 90s and the wind dried already-firm greens, Ortiz kept his approach simple.
“I didn’t know if the course was playing hard or not,” he said. “I was just trying to cruise along and put it in the middle of the green. It worked out pretty well for me.”
Ortiz canned birdie putts at 4, 5 and 6 to put his name at the top of the leaderboard. Though still early, Ortiz may have clinched things with the birdie at eight.
“By then I knew I was hitting the ball pretty good,” said the Tour’s second rookie winner in as many weeks. “I was feeling pretty comfortable and not nervous anymore.”
While several gave chase, none of the challengers did enough to make Ortiz nervous. A birdie at 16 gave him all the cushion he would need.
Gore had weaved his way through the field to reach 8-under but the Tour’s all-time victory leader with seven would never get a chance at number eight.
“I thought it would be a race to see who was the first one to 10-under, which it’s looking like it is,” said Gore as he checked the electronic board when he was done.
“I had an idea. I looked at a few boards but I was just trying to play good golf.”
Gore was playing well, but Ortiz was playing better.
“When I hit it in the middle of the green on 17 I looked at the leaderboard and I knew I was ahead by four,” he said.
By then the drama was gone and Ortiz closed the door with a two-putt par on the 18th.
The victory was worth $112,500 for the 2013 graduate of the University of North Texas and that, coupled with a third-place finish at the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship to begin the season, moved him to No. 2 on the money list.
His four-week total of $171,500 should be more than enough to guarantee a spot among the top-25 on the money list at the end of the 21-event regular season and put him on the US PGA Tour in 2015.
“That’s always been a lifetime dream for me,” he said. “It’s what we all work so hard for.”
TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND
PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTION
CLICK HERE
Ortiz began the last day one shot back of leader and playing partner Aron Price but established himself as the man to beat with three consecutive birdies midway through the front nine at the Panama Golf Club.
Ortiz, who now calls Dallas home, moved into the lead when the 31-year old Aussie Price stumbled early. A birdie at the par-3, 8th put Ortiz at 10-under and in control.
He later added a pair of birdies on the back nine to pull away from the field and finish with a 6-under 64 and a 12-under total of 268.
Veteran Jason Gore did his best to pressure the Tour newcomer but never got closer than three down the stretch. Gore’s 66 was good for solo second but four shots back.
Florida State’s Daniel Berger, 20, carded a 67 to reach 7-under 273 which tied him for third place with Derek Fathauer (67) and Price (70).
“I still can’t believe it,” said Ortiz. “I started kind of shaky. I was pretty nervous, I can admit it. I didn’t have a number in mind but I knew if I could shoot under par I would have a chance. The only thing I wanted was to have a chance on the back nine. I had it and I took it.”
As temperatures hit the low 90s and the wind dried already-firm greens, Ortiz kept his approach simple.
“I didn’t know if the course was playing hard or not,” he said. “I was just trying to cruise along and put it in the middle of the green. It worked out pretty well for me.”
Ortiz canned birdie putts at 4, 5 and 6 to put his name at the top of the leaderboard. Though still early, Ortiz may have clinched things with the birdie at eight.
“By then I knew I was hitting the ball pretty good,” said the Tour’s second rookie winner in as many weeks. “I was feeling pretty comfortable and not nervous anymore.”
While several gave chase, none of the challengers did enough to make Ortiz nervous. A birdie at 16 gave him all the cushion he would need.
Gore had weaved his way through the field to reach 8-under but the Tour’s all-time victory leader with seven would never get a chance at number eight.
“I thought it would be a race to see who was the first one to 10-under, which it’s looking like it is,” said Gore as he checked the electronic board when he was done.
“I had an idea. I looked at a few boards but I was just trying to play good golf.”
Gore was playing well, but Ortiz was playing better.
“When I hit it in the middle of the green on 17 I looked at the leaderboard and I knew I was ahead by four,” he said.
By then the drama was gone and Ortiz closed the door with a two-putt par on the 18th.
The victory was worth $112,500 for the 2013 graduate of the University of North Texas and that, coupled with a third-place finish at the Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship to begin the season, moved him to No. 2 on the money list.
His four-week total of $171,500 should be more than enough to guarantee a spot among the top-25 on the money list at the end of the 21-event regular season and put him on the US PGA Tour in 2015.
“That’s always been a lifetime dream for me,” he said. “It’s what we all work so hard for.”
TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND
PRIZE MONEY DISTRIBUTION
CLICK HERE
Labels: NATIONWIDE TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, March 24, 2014
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