USPGA rookie Hamilton claims Honda Classic

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2004 The Honda Classic | Wrap | 15 Mar 2004

Todd Hamilton’s win today in the Honda Classic rounded off a great day for the Japan Golf Tour, following just a few hours after the runner up placing at the Qatar Masters by one of it’s best players in recent years, Nobuhito Sato.

Hamilton has been a prolific winner of both money and titles on the Japan Golf Tour over the last ten years. He joined the Japan Tour in 1992 having played the Asian Tour early in the season and gained access to Japan via that tour. He would go on to win that year and in subsequent years, but 2003 would be his best year by far, winning four titles in his first eleven events, eventually finishing third on the 2003 money list.

At year’s end he would again try for his USPGA Tour card, which he secured by finishing 16th at the Tour School.

This week’s event was his sixth of the season and although there had been some promising signs, a win of this magnitude hardly seemed likely. He was 15th at his last start last week at the Ford Championship, a very good finish, but this week was contention at close to the highest level.

He took a four shot lead into the final round today only to see it quickly disappearing over the front nine. When Hamilton reached the turn he was only one to the good of Davis Love III, who had covered the front nine in two under and when Love birdied the 17th he had opened up a one shot lead over Hamilton and Brian Bateman.

Hamilton’s experience in Japan would stand him in good stead however. Despite bogeying the 15th to fall behind Love he made a great up and down for birdie at the 17th then from 160 yards he would hit his 8 iron to three feet at the 72nd hole to edge out Love by one. The US$900,000 first prize has him over $US1 million already in his first year on the USPGA Tour.

Love would be runner up for the second consecutive year at the event, albeit on the second of two venues and not that used at the golfing complex at the Country Club of Mirasol last year.

Another surprise performance was the third placed finish of Brian Bateman who showed what perseverance can do. Bateman has repeatedly been able to regain his Tour Card in recent years and this finish highlights that persistence coupled with experience can eventually pay off. It also pays of course to have some game, which Bateman clearly has having been a good junior and collegiate golfer in the mid-90’s.

Kevin Na, the 20-year-old California-based Korean who, like Hamilton, has tasted success in Asia in recent years finished in a tie for fourth, further emphasising his great talent. His win in the Volvo Masters of Asia at the age of 19 had many eying him as a future star and so it appears it will be. Also sharing fourth were Robert Allenby, Frederik Jacobsen and Woody Austin.

Another finish of note was that of Chad Campbell, who after such a brilliant year in 2003, was taking his time to find his feet in 2004. His round of 16 finish at the Accenture Match Play and now this, suggest he will be once again a force to be reckoned with before long.

Other Australasians to do well included Geoff Ogilvy, Mark Hensby and Rod Pampling who all shared 13th, Aaron Baddeley 21st, John Senden 30th, Craig Parry 36th and Craig Perks 41st.

The PGA Tour now heads to Orlando for the Bay Hill Invitational.