When you have what is considered golf’s most revered major — The Open Championship — no one’s paying much attention when the PGA Tour throws an event for “all those other guys.”
So they staged the “Shaving Cream Open” outside Auburn University in a place called Opelika, chewin’ tobacco-spittin’ distance from the home of The Tigers.
They played on one of the nice Robert Trent Jones Trail courses — Grand National — and they had themselves a little down-home Southern drama on Sunday afternoon.
It was “Badds” against one of those new hot-shot South Korean kids — Si Woo Kim — which sounds like No. 14 on the menu, at the Barbasol Championship.
“Badds” as in Aaron Baddeley, who has had good years and a lot of bad years in his career. He came to the U.S. from Australia with a lot of promise and a damn good putting stroke. But his ball-striking has been terribly inconsistent, often leading to the nickname — Aaron Plays Baddeley.
Well Badds got it together and closed with a 66 to shoot 18-under par but there was Kim, coming in with 63 to force a playoff.
It took four holes but there was “Badds” standing over a 24-footer for birdie on the fourth playoff hole.
“I was telling myself, ‘Let’s end his right here….come on!'” Baddeley recounted after he holed that putt and went absolutely bonkers. He tossed his hat, ran around then had a huge group hug with his wife and four kids. Four kids? It seemed like he only had one last time he won, that’s how long it’s been, nearly five and a half years.
“I had some real struggles,” Baddeley said. “It’s been a long five years, it’s been tough a times. Wow!”
Baddeley can now reap the rewards of the win. He has his status back on the tour for the next two years and he’s in the PGA Championship next week.
Back in 2011 he made more than $3 million and it was the last time he won.
That big stroke proved he still has the putting touch, now if he can just keep hitting the ball in the fairway.
2 Comments
beege
his unbridled enthusiasm afterwinning, hat throw and trot around “the bases” was right from the heart with those 4 kiddies and wife on board what better way to end the day. Its funny, not too many guys are great putters and also-ran ball strikers its usually the other way around as the moniker on the Open champion had but they both got it done. two great wins and Lydia steals one at the Marathon–she is terrific and getting better all the time–golf is indeed in great hands on all levels
Tom Edrington
Badds is a great guy, it’s been so long, last time he won I think there was only one child, now there are four, time flies!