Riley joins "first time" boys
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 Reno-Tahoe Open | Wrap | 26 Aug 2002
Chris Riley has shown over the last few weeks that a win on the PGA Tour was close at hand. His win this week in a playoff over Jonathan Kaye meant that he would join Craig Parry and Tag Ridings (Buy.Com) as first time winners on their respective tours this weekend.
Riley, who just a week ago had finished 3rd at Hazeltine behind Beem and Woods, has had a very good run of form over the last few weeks. He was 5th at the Western, 22nd at the British Open, 5th at the John Deere, 14th at the International before the PGA. He is in only his fourth season on Tour but is a slowly but surely developing player.
He was a teammate of Tiger Woods in the 1995 Walker Cup and while he has given his more illustrious colleague a significant start in the professional ranks there is a feeling that this is a player with a future.
He was able to beat Jonathan Kaye with a par at the first extra hole to win. Both had started the last round tied in the lead but a brilliant start by Kaye saw him open up a two shot lead through nine holes. A bogey at the par five 17th was to prove costly to Kaye as Riley proved the steadier down the stretch to catch him.
For Kaye it was the second second place finish in two months the other coming in Hartford and he now has earnings for the season of just under $US1,000,000. He also has yet to win in his sixth full season on tour but it appears justice is not far away for him either.
Charles Howell powered home with a sixty four to grab a share of third with J.J. Henry.
Rod Pampling was the leading Australasian in 17th place and $US40,600 despite a third round 80. That he was able to recover from that speaks a lot for his improved self belief as he continues to progress in his first season on tour. Steve Allan after a fast start to the week was 23rd, Michael Long also a disappointing weekend although good to see him make the cut was 30th, Greg Chalmers 35th, Bradley Hughes and Aaron Baddeley 44th, Frank Nobilo 58th, Geoff Ogilvy 61st and Peter O’Malley 65th
