Zach Johnson finds new lease of life with Rheem win
IN: News | Nationwide | Rheem Classic (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 28 Apr 2003
Winning may not be new to Zach Johnson but winning on the Nationwide Tour certainly is.
For the 27-year-old Iowan, now a resident of Florida, this season is his second year on the Nationwide Tour having played unsuccessfully in 2000. He has, however, won several times on the Hooters and Teardrop Tours.
Johnson has found a new lease of life this year though with a flying start at last week's First Tee Arkansas Classic where he led through fifty-four holes before narrowly missing the playoff to finish third. Perhaps getting married earlier this year has made the difference but whatever it is, he is on a roll.
He again jumped out of the blocks on Thursday at the newly named Rheem Classic with a first round 65 and followed that up with a 70 to be two behind Franklin Langham through thirty-six holes. An ordinary third round 71 perhaps allowed thoughts of the previous week's weekend demise to enter his head, but when he opened up with two birdies and an eagle in the first four holes today, he was well on track for his first Nationwide Tour victory. Although unable to birdie any of the final few holes, he had done enough early on to build a lead that no-one seemed keen to challenge. Several had their chances but only Steve Haskins managed to join Johnson in the playoff.
The playoff would last just one hole with Johnson's par enough to secure victory. He now moves to third on the 2003 money list behind Joe Ogilvie and Ryan Palmer, both of whom won while the tour was in Australasia. Both Ogilvie and Palmer missed the weekend cut this week.
New Zealander Michael Long was 30th and Australian Chris Downes, who continues to gain starts via Monday qualifying, closed in equal 39th.
The Nationwide Tour heads to South Carolina for the BMW Charity Pro Am at the Cliffs.
