Stewart Cink’s eighth PGA Tour victory was a casual stroll in the proverbial Hilton Head Island park Sunday.
After setting 36 and 54-hole scoring records for this long-running RBC Heritage tournament, the week after The Masters was a fun one for Cink as he shot lights out for two days then did what he needed to do over the weekend to pick up his second victory seven months.
This latest win by the 2009 Open champion, who turns a ripe-old 48 next month, was a non-stop talk show with 24-year-old son Reagan on the bag, staring at his yardage book, reading notes, blabbering away but getting out of his dad’s way when he needed to. After back-to-back 63s on Thursday and Friday, Cink was a bit more conservative with a 69 on Saturday. That was still good enough to build a comfortable five-shot lead heading into the final 18.
Cink was cautious, however. He hasn’t been the most prolific closer. Out of 11 previous 54-hole leads, he closed out just one. But this one was unlike the others as he shot lights out early and had a huge comfort level on the Harbor Town Golf Links, the course where he won this championship in 2000 and again in 2004.
“I’ve been there before,” said Cink before the final round. “I’ve certainly been nervous and thrown up on myself and I’ve also played great in that situation. You know, I think it’s a lot better to embrace it and enjoy it and feel the tingle as opposed to trying to act like it’s not there.”
Sunday, Cink didn’t look the least bit nervous on his way to a final round 70 and a 19-under par total. He might have blinked early at playing partner Collin Morikawa’s opening birdie but after that, Morikawa shriveled up and disappeared, leaving Cink to plot out a careful, point A to point B trip around the tree-lined course that requires precision off the tee and accurate irons into the small set of greens.
It was no problem for Cink. With no one mounting any sort of charge to speak of, he made the turn in one-under and stood at 19-under, a number that no challenger could dream of reaching.
More good shots, more fairways, more greens, a bogey at the difficult 12th then a deal-sealing birdie from inside eight feet at the 17th made it a fun stroll down the 18th with the entire family on board, going every step of the way.
Cink waved to them heartily as he marched to his drive. Easy second, two putts and victory in the bag.
“I don’t know if I have the words,” Cink said as his family surrounded him. “Really a blast this week — I can’t explain it.”
“It’s awesome, it’s the best,” said caddie/son Reagan, who now has two wins with his pop.
Truth be known, Cink, with his third win at this venue, had the comfort level, the knowledge and after he finished tied for 12th at The Masters last week, his game was in good order and as Cink himself put it: “It was a ball-striking week for me that was going to be hard to beat.”
Varner’s Best Finish:
The only thing in doubt was second place on Sunday. By day’s end, Harold Varner III ran in a 14-footer for birdie to finish at 15-under par. He waited an watched Emiliano Grillo hole nine-footers for par saves at 17 and 18 to tie him for second.
Varner shot a closing 66 and did it despite an out-of-bounds tee shot to start his day at the first hole (he saved bogey with a chip-in) and a water-ball tee shot at the 10th, where he saved par.
It was Varner’s best-ever finish on the PGA Tour and it was desperately needed as it moved Varner inside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings and his game is in good order with the Wells Fargo in two weeks at Quail Hollow in Charlotte. “Wells Fargo is my major and I’m excited,” said Varner, who grew up just outside Charlotte in Gastonia, N.C.
Conners, McNealy Get T4:
After his second place finish at Pebble Beach, Maverick McNealy was looking for another good finish and he got one this week. He closed with 67 on Sunday and tied for fourth with Corey Conners at 13-under par. Conners continues to play well and show that he’s the real deal.
11 Comments
baxter cepeda
Outstanding week for the Cinks. It’s unfortunate the strategy of golf slows down great play from leaders. But Stewarts first two rounds were quite epic with his son seemingly teaching dad how to golf shot by shot.
Dad obviously knows everything son was saying but in the heat of battle even veterans tend to forget things. The tv mics got a bit obsessed with the back and forth, especially Saturday, the analysts had things to say about it. But the reality is they had a great talk out strategy which no one would have thought much of it if they weren’t on air so much.
They did an amazing job. This 24 year old is suddenly a top pga tour caddie.
And dad is suddenly big time; although Stewart should know no woman wants a 47 year old borderline journeyman’s stinky glove; but even that cink was aware of and immediately offered her a ball instead; which she was mildly more interested in.
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Collins chip at two was a distaster; especially after Camilo putted from the same area to a foot.
But Collins inability to bounce back from that was worse. It seemed his short game let him down quite a bit.
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Varner, connors and McNeely all need to win already. But especially super rich Maverick needs to play like a man whom doesn’t need back door top 10s or top 5s. He needs to play more aggressive early and execute; put himself in real contention more often considering he isn’t going anywhere card wise and pga tour money is kinda manini for him. You play to win the game. Just win baby.
Tom Edrington
Caddie Reagan violates a major rules of bag-toters: The Player ALWAYS pulls the club, always has, always will, Reaggy pulls clubs and hands to daddy, but when he’s wrong, has to put it bag in, struggle to get next one out as he doesn’t line ’em up properly before playing, and ALWAYS look like the bag is going to fall off his shoulder because he doesn’t carry it the way you’re supposedly, across your lower back/butt…..more talking than the old “Phil and Bones Show”…..easy to grow weary of watching all that nonsense…..BUT, works well for Stewey….
baxter cepeda
People may have grown weary already because their chats seemed not aired as much Sunday.
All i know is I wouldn’t want my caddying aired live. Maybe on a delay but definitely not live.
…thats how all the cool caddies are carrying bags these days. But someone should be a #trend setter and use a push cart already.
The guy clearly does a great job for Stewart. 2 wins in 1 season at 47 says it all.
Tom Edrington
The caddy never hits a single shot, Tiger had an assortment……you might recall Jason Day hired Steve Williams and everyone got all excited……caddies don’t cure what ails golfers
baxter cepeda
Tiger had fluff, Williams and Joe; not really much else. All world class caddies while with Tiger; always taken very seriously by woods.
It has been hard to get excited about Steve Williams as anyones caddie since his head almost blew up as tigers. His primadonaness is off the charts now, so much so he is not cut out to loop anymore.
On that note The tv coverage this weekend probably gave the kid a bit of a big but team cink seemed to address it by Sunday.
I do not think cink is a two time winner this season sans Reagan looping. Not sure Westwood does what he does without his two caddies, son and girlfriend.
Also
So Augusta caddies whom don’t even know the players are somehow extremely important but caddies don’t cure golfers?
Seems contradictory.
Caddies are very important to many players in different ways; some more than others. Webb Simpson Comes to mind.
Meanwhile Some players would probably be better off carrying their own bag.
Day seemed better with his coach than his buddy. Rory was also overall better with his dads boy than with his boy…but both their caddies are good enough because they provide that much needed company of a best friend.
Some players simply need The show up, keep up, shush up kind. Other guys need math geeks, like bryson.
So on and so on.
All I know is Caddies may not hit a shot but behind every great golf accomplishment, there seems to be a great loop job.
Tom Edrington
Baster: I caddied on the PGA Tour for nine months back in 1981, I think I have a unique perspective; Augusta National is so very different, if you have been there then you know you need one of their guys to help you understand the greens complexes….no contradiction, just fact….
baxter cepeda
With all due respect to that great experience…things are way different nearly a half century later.
If Augusta caddies really helped players more than their own loopers, they would still be utilized today. Tom Watson led that charge but he wasn’t alone. No one uses those guys anymore.
Not that anyone doesn’t respect Augusta Nationals caddies but Masters greens are not as big a secret as they once were. Today we can literally sit at home and watch every shot from about 250 Masters rounds right now; just from this year.
Also today Tiger pays Joe Lacava handsomely to do nothing when he is not playing because he values his work.
As you know Things are just different now…players today show they value their everyday caddie more than ever.
The good ol days of a Phil getting lucky picking Bones off a clubhouse curb are long gone now.
Tom Edrington
Baxter, on the Augusta National thing, you’re comparing apples to oranges. Those players play the Masters virtually every year, those girls are mostly one and done….if you get one shot at ANGC, you better have some knowledge of the greens complexes. Those girls get one practice round, that’s it. You better have someone who knows those greens and you don’t learn them in one afternoon.
baxter cepeda
Yes but equally difficult to trust a new caddie in one afternoon.
No matter how you slice it its very challenging. I just appreciate Augusta National isn’t going out of their way to soften the course. The lpga tour should realize that.
I disagree women’s golf needs to be shorter and more scoreable. Women’s golf can grow by simply getting more men’s golf viewers to watch; they often don’t watch the women’s game feeling the setups are too easy.
Keep in mind how not so great the Masters participants played Thursday when the course was almost as fiery as it was Saturday for the ladies this year.
Personally I would hire an Augusta caddie known for sharing good course info (and stories) for the practice round.
As the caddie I would spend the practice round picking his brain on little things We are still not sure about.
… player and caddies better go to ANWA with some knowledge in tow. Because more and more teams will. There is a lot of info available.
Tom Edrington
Baxter….that’s enough on ANWA…..time to move on, I’m digging the ladies playing historic Wilshire this week, PERFECT LPGA venue…..need to get them on more historic courses like this….good news is there are a lot of classic designs still suitable for the ladies game.
baxter cepeda
Finally some things to agree on including moving on.
The big question is if there are enough membership as great as Wilshires.
Unfortunately Memberships from great courses across the country too often cannot see how losing a few of their own golf days to ladies can benefit the sport and their club, and eventually themselves.
Places like Wilshire, which had to get sued by its first full woman member, are now leading the way with inclusion and opportunity and hope. Golf needs more and more of that.