Leonard claims seventh tour title at Worldcom
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 Worldcom Classic - The Heritage of Golf | Wrap | 22 Apr 2002
It developed into quite some battle between the experienced and inexperienced and perhaps in the end, that was the difference as Justin Leonard secured his seventh title on the USPGA Tour.
Leonard’s one shot win over relative newcomer Heath Slocum was not without drama more especially over the last few holes. Slocum, who despite being new to the USPGA Tour, is not exactly inexperienced in winning golf tournaments. In 2001 he graduated from the Buy.Com Tour by virtue of his three wins on that tour in the first half of the year qualifying for the Battlefield Promotion category that allows immediate graduation to the main tour.
Although he hardly set the world on fire in the events that he played in the later half of 2001 on the USPGA Tour he did make six of his eight cuts therefore settling into the new level of play and finding his feet. This season has been a struggle to date making only three of ten cuts leading into this week although one had been a sixth place in Tuscon, suggesting that things were getting better.
Slocum’s is an interesting story. Turning pro in 1996, following a successful collegiate career, he was stricken with ulcerative colitis in 1997, which saw him out of the game for eighteen months. Regaining his card for the Buy.Com Tour at the 2000 USPGA Tour qualifying school he started his 2001 year with a third at the Florida Classic and never looked back. By August he was on the tour of dreams and now with this second place and $434,000 in the bank he can proceed with the confidence knowing you are exempt for 2003 will give you.
Justin Leonard, who married in February, has played well this season without spectacular success to date. He had missed only one cut in his nine starts leading into this week with two top tens at the Bob Hope and in Houston. He had one of the best last rounds at Augusta so was no doubt feeling pretty good about things coming to Hilton Head Island. Having said that his best finish here previously had been 30th in six starts even though, theoretically, it should be a course that suits his game. His second round 64 had him trailing Phil Mickelson by two but his third round 66 established a lead that most thought would be hard to catch. Mickelson’s disappointing front nine of 38 even further confirmed that view and it was left to Slocum to mount the only serious challenge to Leonard on the back nine.
Leonard’s round had been rock solid if not spectacular through thirteen holes but two quick bogies saw the whole complexion change and when Slocum birdied the fourteenth it was he who had the lead following a putting lapse from Leonard on the fourteenth. The par four sixteenth was to prove the talented Slocum’s undoing, a double bogey taking him back to one behind and Leonard’s experience saw him finish the round in style with four solid pars. Since joining the tour in 1995 Leonard has finished no worse than 25th in any one year and has accumulated total earnings of more than $US12,000,000 in that time. Not exactly Tiger like statistics but very solid and this ex US Amateur champion with a British Open to his name is destined for even bigger things.
Phil Mickelson produced his third place finish in his last four starts to edge out Bernard Langer a previous winner here and who in his mid forties continues to impress. His 2002 season is not yet quite as solid as 2001 but he is the type of player who suits a layout like Harbor Town where positioning is such a factor. Four-time winner of this event, Davis Love III, finished in a tie for fifth.
Of the down under brigade the best was Frank Nobilo who seems to have turned around a very ordinary start to this season with some much better form of late. His last round 66 suggest that he is peaking for one of his favourite events, the Greater Greensboro, this coming week. Nobilo will pick up a cheque for around $US90,000.
Greg Norman after another good start was 27th, again showing that his lack of regular play is counting against him. His last nine holes of 40 highlighting that at this level it is difficult to compete over 72 holes on a limited schedule. There is no doubt that he is still capable of winning but just when he is getting close to being tournament-fit he will probably now take another break. He has only a few tournaments left of the seven that he is allowed to play because of his non-membership of the US Tour but he was heartened this week to secure an invitation to the USPGA.
Greg Chalmers, who had produced a fine third round of 64 to put himself in a position to contend on Sunday, shot a final round 77 for 50th, with Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Gow struggling after making the cut.
