TORONTO, 30 August 2005 — Brad Faxon equalled the course record before edging South Africa’s Tjaart van der Walten in a playoff to pick up a first PGA Tour title in more than four years at the Buick Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut on Sunday.
Faxon struck his approach to within three feet of the cup for a birdie at the first extra hole to seal the eighth PGA Tour win of his career, his first since the 2001 Sony Open in Hawaii.
“I’m thrilled to death, it’s getting harder and harder to win out here and I’m not getting any younger,” the 44-year-old Faxon said.
“I played an unbelievable round of golf today.”
The American, who began the day seven strokes behind overnight leader Justin Rose of Britain, fired a course record equalling nine-under-par 61 at the TPC at River Highlands — the lowest round of his 22-year career.
That left him on 14-under 266 after the 72 holes of regulation play, level with van der Walt, who closed with a 64.
The 30-year-old South African, whose best previous finish this season was a tie for 50th at the Buick Open in July, birdied the last two holes to take the tournament into a playoff.
Playing on a major medical exemption because of a wrist injury, van der Walt arrived in Connecticut needing to earn $484,000 during the remaining events in order to secure his PGA card for next season and picked up most of that with his $464,400 second place check on Sunday.
“I’m thinking of that obviously, it’s always in the back of my mind,” said van der Walt, who had earned just $36,443 coming into the event.
Englishman Rose, tournament leader since the first day and chasing his PGA Tour title, battled to a 69 to secure third place at 13-under 267.
Two over par after 12 holes, he rallied with birdies on 13, 15 and 16 to close to within a shot of the lead but was unable to pick up another shot and join the playoff.
Ben Curtis (69), the 2003 British Open champion, Jerry Kelly (66) and Michael Putnam (63), in his PGA Tour professional debut, all finished one shot further adrift on 12-under 268.
“It’s disappointing to have led so long and not pull it out,” said the 25-year-old Rose, who had to settle for the best finish of his PGA Tour career.
“But sometimes it’s necessary to get a sniff before you get back.” Faxon’s victory seemed unlikely after he struggled through the opening two rounds just finishing right on the cut of 140 to make it to the weekend.
Rated one of PGA Tour’s top putters, it was Faxon’s lack of poise on the greens that let him down early, posting just two birdies in his opening two rounds.
But on the weekend, something clicked and Faxon suddenly found himself making putts that a day earlier he was missing.
“This was really kind of out of the blue,” said Faxon, who had led the PGA Tour in putting on three occasions.
Italy’s Molinari Seals US Amateur Title With Late Rally
Edoardo Molinari rallied from three down to become Italy’s first US amateur champion with a 4 & 3 win over American Dillon Dougherty at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania on Sunday.
The 24-year-old engineering student from Turin, who tied for 60th in last month’s British Open at St Andrews, sealed victory in the 36-hole final with a 30-foot birdie putt at the 33rd hole.
“The way I played was a once in a lifetime,” Molinari told reporters after becoming the eighth foreign winner of the US amateur and the first European champion since Britain’s Harold Hilton in 1911.
“I don’t really know the difference between this morning and this afternoon.” Trailing by three holes after the morning round, the Italian reeled off seven birdies in the afternoon and never relinquished the lead after going ahead at the 25th hole.
He holed four putts of 25 feet or more in the afternoon and one-putted 10 times in his last 15 holes.
“All of a sudden the putts went in this afternoon instead of this morning,” said Molinari, whose brother Francesco plays on the European Tour.
The Italian, who won the 2001 Italian amateur and the 2003 Turkish amateur titles, booked his place in the final with a 2 & 1 semifinal victory over American Austin Eaton on Saturday.
Both Molinari and Dougherty earn exemptions into next year’s US Masters and US Open, as long as they retain their amateur status. Molinari also receives an exemption into next year’s British Open.
Kerr Triumphs as Hurst’s Poor Drive Opens Door
In Dublin, Ohio, Cristie Kerr won the Wendy’s Championship for Children on Sunday, closing with a 3-under-par 69 shortly after Pat Hurst fell from a tie for the lead with a double-bogey on the last hole.
This was Kerr’s second victory of the year and sixth of her career. She finished at 18-under 270, one shot ahead of Paula Creamer and Annika Sorenstam. Creamer, the third-round leader, had a 71 and Sorenstam a 66, matching the day’s low round.
Kerr parred the 17th to remain in front, sinking a 12-foot par putt after chipping past the pin. She rolled in a 4-foot par putt on the final hole.
Hurst shared the lead with Kerr as she stepped to the final tee. But her drive was far to the right and ended up in a ditch lined with trees. Taking an unplayable lie, she took four drops — the first three apparently not within the allotted two club lengths from where the ball went in the trees. The fourth stuck the wooden tee she used to mark the two-club drop distance, and caromed deeper into the overhanging bushes and trees.
Hurst punched out into a trap and then hit her fourth shot to the right fringe on the par-4 18th, two-putting from 60 feet.
Kerr, playing in the group directly behind her, drove into the fairway on 18 and hit her iron approach about 30 feet from the pin. Her first putt came up 4 feet short, leaving her a slippery downhill putt to win the tournament. After converting, she pumped her fist.
Hurst’s closing 70 left her at 272 and tied with Jang Jeong, who closed with a 67. Karrie Webb (70) and Kang Soo-yun (72) were at 273, with Michele Redman alone at 274 after a 72. US Women’s Amateur champion Morgan Pressel finished with a 70 and was at 278.
Kerr earned her way on to the US Solheim Cup team, finishing No. 1 in the points standings.
Creamer, who clinched the LPGA Tour rookie of the year award with her tie for second, began the day with a one-stroke lead over Kerr and Kang. Kerr pulled even by sinking a 512-foot birdie putt on the par-4 second hole.
Kerr and Creamer, playing in the same threesome with Kang, continued in a stalemate for the next eight holes until Kerr strung together three straight birdies on Nos. 11-13.
