Chrysler Championship
By Steven Zoine
Carl Pettersson steadied his nerves and his swing down the stretch last year, saving par with a tough chip on the 15th and a clutch putt on the 16th for an even-par 71 to win the Chrysler Championship for his first PGA Tour victory against all Sportsbook odds.
Chad Campbell made five birdies on the back nine in a terrific charge, including a 12-foot putt that swirled into the cup on the 18th hole for a 67 that left Pettersson no room for error.
Leading by one shot, Pettersson found the middle of the fairway and hit his approach 20 feet by the cup. Trying to nestle the ball close to the hole, he ran it 3 feet by, but made that for par and the $954,000 prize.
Pettersson, born in Sweden and raised in North Carolina, had always dreamed of playing and winning on the PGA Tour, and this capped it off. He finished at 9-under 275, but not before an improbable chip on the 15th to save par, a 10-foot par save on the next hole and no mistakes on the last two.
"It was a little easier in the dreams," Pettersson said. "It's nice to finish it off the way I did."
The consolation prize for Campbell was a trip to The Tour Championship. He showed up at Westin Innisbrook at No. 43 on the money list, but second-place earnings of $572,400 easily pushed him into the top 30.
"I'm not happy with second," Campbell said. "But I'm happy the result got me in The Tour Championship."
Steve Lowery, who started the final round tied at 9 under with Pettersson, lost his chance to win for the first time in five years on the par-3 eighth hole. From an uphill lie in a front bunker, Lowery caught it clean and sent the ball over the green in the pine straw, with a branch behind his ball. It took him two chips to get to the green, and his triple bogey sent him tumbling out of the lead.
Davis Love III also struggled, making three straight bogeys around the turn and taking a triple bogey on the 16th hole when he hit into the water. Love closed with a 76.
July 6th- 9th
Cog Hill G&CC, Lemont, Illinois
Live on XM 146/USA/ABC
Purse: $5,000,000
Last Champion: Jim Furyk
The Cialis Western Open, conducted by the Western Golf Association, has a history unparalleled by all but one golf championship in the United States. First held in 1899, the Western Open is the oldest championship on the PGA TOUR and the second oldest professional golf championship in the nation. Only the U.S. Open, first conducted in 1895 by the United States Golf Association, is older.
When the PGA TOUR professionals come to Chicago each year to compete in the Cialis Western Open, they are following in the hallowed footsteps of golf’s all-time greats. Past champions include golf’s greatest legends, including Chick Evans, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. The past two decades have seen Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, Tom Weiskopf, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price and Tiger Woods add their names to the Western Open’s J. K. Wadley Cup’s impressive roster of champions.
Today, the Western Open is considered the founding event of the PGA TOUR. Much has changed since 1899, including the prize money. This year’s 102nd Western Open purse totals $5 million, with the winner earning $900,000. In the Western Open’s initial year, the total purse was $150, with the winner earning $50.
On last year’s tournament Furyk , after finishing second three times last year, including a devastating loss the previous weekend, Furyk against all Sportsbook odds answered Woods' charge with three straight birdies and hung on to win the Cialis Western Open. It was his 10th PGA TOUR victory and the first since the 2003 Buick Open.
After tapping in for a birdie, Furyk took off his cap and shook hands with third round co-leader Ben Curtis. Furyk then turned and pumped his fists to the cheering crowd before sharing a long hug with caddie Fluff Cowan.
"You take the combination of last week, surgery and not winning since surgery, you put all that together and it was an emotional win," said Furyk, who missed half of last year after having wrist surgery.
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WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer
