South African lefty Garrick Higgo had just finished his first PGA Tour event, a closing 68 Sunday afternoon at Congaree got him in the house at 11-under par at the Palmetto Classic.
The 22-year-old then had to wait and wait and wait some more while overnight leader Chesson Hadley put together an agonizing finish that saw him bogey the final three holes to hand Higgo a win and membership on the PGA Tour.
“I hate the word choked,” said Hadley, who had a finish that brought back memories of Lexi Thompson’s demise last week at the U.S. Open. “That’s not the right word because that’s a very negative word, but I didn’t handle it the way I needed to handle it,” said Hadley, who stood at 13-under par with three to play and had fought off challenges from playing partner Harris English as well as the world’s No. 1, Dustin Johnson.”
Hadley’s late slide actually started at the par-four 15th hole, where he came up well short of the green with a wedge and had to get up and down from a bunker just to save par. He then drew a tough lie in a fairway bunker at the 16th and had to lay up before yanking drives and missing greens on each of the last two holes. In all, Hadley paid the price for hitting only four greens all day.
He finished with a four-over par 75 and finished in a tie for second with five other players.
“If I had shot 75 the first round and then 65-66-68, I’d be tickled,” Hadley said. “But this one – you know, it sucks, right? I can only imagine what it looked like on TV because it looked freakin’ awful from my view. I mean, I could barely keep it on the planet.”
While Hadley was erratic, Higgo was incredibly steady over the final nine holes. He made he turn in even par and needed to make something happen as he stood at eight-under.
He made a big move at the par five 12th when his second stopped nine feet from the hole and he made the eagle putt to get to 10-under then at the 230-yard par three 14th, he drained a 23-footer to get to 11-under. Unlike Hadley, Higgo was steady enough to finish with four pars then waited and watched the drama unfold.
“It’s amazing. I just stayed patient all week and it paid off,” said Higgo, who played in his first event in the U.S. at the PGA followed by this as his first regular PGA Tour appearance.
Hadley had to finish his third round early Sunday morning along with Dustin Johnson. Hadley missed a five-footer for birdie that would have given him a five-shot lead heading into the final 18.
That lead didn’t last long. Harris English birdied the second and third while Hadley bogeyed those holes and it was game-on. No less than seven players were in the hunt heading to the back nine, including Johnson, who took himself out of it with a triple-bogey seven at the par four 16th. That took D.J. from 11-under to eight-under and cost him a potential win in his home state.
After putting himself in position to win after nine holes, English totally fell apart and shot 40 coming home and his 74 dropped him all the way back into a tie for 14th.
Jerry Kelly Repeats At American Family Insurance Classic:
There was a little suspense late Sunday afternoon as Fred Couples stood over a seven-foot par putt on the 18th green at the University Ridge Golf Club.
The American Family Insurance Classic title was on the line. Make it and Freddie forces a playoff with defending champion Jerry Kelly. Miss and all the hometown fans are elated for Jerry.
Seven-footers are a tough task for the over-50 set and Freddie, now 61 years-old, didn’t come close to making his as he bogeyed 18 to finish tied for second with Miguel Angel Jimenez at 13-under par.
Kelly closed with a 66, best round among the contenders. It was the Madison native’s eighth senior win.
“Can’t get any better than this,” Kelly said. “After doubling the 18th hole yesterday and bogeying the first hole, I was reeling a little bit. It means so much for me to win around here, and now twice, I’m over the moon.”
Couples’ approach to 18 rolled through the green and settled on the short fringe. “I thought I was putting and then decided to chip it, chipped it strong and pushed the putt and that was it.”
Jimenez, the leader after each of the first two rounds, shot a 69. Jim Furyk (68) and Retief Goosen (68) tied for fourth at 12 under.
Tournament host Steve Stricker went out earlier, shot 65 and finished at nine-under, tied for seventh.
Mito Pereira Gets Third Korn Ferry Win, Heads To PGA Tour:
Mito Pereira won the BMW Charity Classic Pro-Am Sunday afternoon at The Cliffs and became the 12th players to earn his way onto the PGA Tour.
Pereira shot a final round 64 and came from three shots back as he won his second event in the last two weeks. He finished a whopping 27-under par, four clear of runnerup Justin Lower, who closed with 71.
“This is crazy, man,” Pereira said after his victory. “Like I said, I didn’t ever think I could win three times on this Tour and now I’ve just won three times in one year and going to the PGA Tour. This is by far the best thing that I’ve done in my life. I just can’t wait to get there and just to play the best I can.”
Pereira is from Chile and will join countryman Joaquin Niemann on Tour.
“There’s been tough moments, good moments, but it’s all worth it,” Pereira said of his pursuit to join the big tour. “I hope it helps everybody in Chile to grow this game and to get more easy entrance to the game. I’m so happy. I wanted to thank them, too. Chile has been great. All the people supporting me, thanks for everybody.”
BMW Charity Classic Scoreboard:
2 Comments
golf1234
Pereira, on his way to the big show! That is amazing winning three. How about that Saturday 61 by two gloves. Is that the low round on any tour this year?
Mickelson,Weir Higgo, all winners. Can a lefty win the U S Open.
Evening flight into SD in 1975. Arrive at TP next morning @4:30 to get in line. Tee it up, fly back to Oregon after round.
Tom Edrington
That was quite trip to Torrey; Not sure I’d go anywhere and wait in a line to play; Would be the story of the decade if Mickelson completed the Grand Slam in his hometown and went back-to-back in majors….boggles the mind, doesn’t it?