Tommy Armour III confounds analysts with Texas Open victory
IN: News | US PGA | Valero Texas Open (2003) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 29 Sep 2003
Talk about surprise victories, Tommy Armour III's win today at the Valero Texas Open goes close to taking the cake.
With just one win thirteen years ago, in a PGA Tour career that spans back to 1982, Armour not only won for the first time in so long, but he also created a PGA Tour record in doing so. In a week of low scoring Armour produced a 72 hole total of twenty six under par (254) on the par 70, La Cantera Golf Course and broke the record of Mark Calcavecchia (256) at the 2001 Phoenix Open.
After a second round 62, Armour had the event all to himself. He led by six shots heading into the final round and with an outward nine of 31 today, it was all over by the turn. Defending champion Loren Roberts, confirmed the "horses for courses" theory when sharing second with Bob Tway.
Armour has been unable to retain his card the last two years and has had to rely on starts via category 28 which provides starts for those from 126 to 150 from the previous year's money list.
The top three players on the leaderboard were aged 43, 48 and 44 respectively and continue a trend of over forties on tour this year. To add further to that argument is the fact that the 4th and 6th placed Duffy Waldorf and Dan Forsman are also in the over forty brigade. Aaron Baddeley fired a shot for the youngsters finishing alone in 5th.
Baddeley enjoyed his second best finish of the year following his 2nd place at the Sony Open, where he lost to world number two Ernie Els in a playoff. Seven birdies over his final twelve holes saw him post his second 62 of the week adding to his opening round of the same score. He earns $US140,000 for the placing and the total prizemoney in his rookie year totals almost $US950,000.
Scott Laycock and Rod Pampling were 29th and the next best Australasians, John Senden finished 34th alongside Paul Gow, whose last round 65 saw him jump 32 places and Craig Perks 52nd.
For those not eligible for this coming week's American Express Championship the USPGA Tour heads to Missouri for the Southern Farm Bureau Classic.
