Austin's nine year wait ends at Buick Championship

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2004 Buick Championship | Wrap | 30 Aug 2004

This week’s award for perseverance must go to the 40-year-old Woody Austin.

Since first gaining his card in 1994 when he was a medallist at the tour school for the 1995 USPGA Tour, Woody Austin has experienced all the emotions that golf at the highest level can provide. A playoff win at the Buick Open in his very first season and Rookie of the Year honours that year, gave every indication that here was man who was going places.

It had taken him nearly ten years to get his card, an injury in 1987 at the tour school sidelining him for some time before finally getting his card in 1995. The game almost seemed too easy, a win in his first season and six other top tens certainly stamped Austin as a man who, now that he had made it to the big league, could handle it.

It was good again in 1996 with another solid year but it was in 1997 when things went horribly awry. In 35 starts that season he missed 28 cuts, in fact in his first twenty starts that year he had made just three cheques and small ones at that. He retreated to the Nike Tour in 1998, finished eighth, and was back as large as life in 1999. He continued to retain his card each season since, albeit narrowly at times, until 2002 when he was forced to return to the Tour School where again he regained his card for 2003.

While 1995 had been a milestone year in many ways, 2003 would be the breakthrough year as it showed a greater level of consistency than he had displayed for some time and a near miss at the MCI Heritage Classic when beaten in a playoff by Davis Love III suggested he was not overawed by the bigger events. The US$1.5 million he won in 2003 stamped the fact that he was back, and although the consistency level was down again to start the 2004 season, there were enough good finishes to avoid panic.

Last week at the Reno Tahoe Open there was perhaps an indication that something even better was in store when he finished 8th at that event and he arrived in Hartford feeling good about his game. The TPC at River Highlands hadn’t exactly been good to him, 41st being his best in six attempts here but there was a growing confidence about Austin’s game.

“I feel like I am one of the best players out here but have not shown it as yet although this year I am starting to vindicate that belief,” he said after today’s final round. "If I can get my confidence back, I feel that I haven’t shown anything yet."

The last few holes at the TPC at River Highlands provide a great mixture of holes to finish a tournament. There is a reachable par five (13th), a reachable par four (15th) a mid iron par three (16th) and the dangerous par four 17th surrounded by water.

It would be these holes that would prove as key in the final analysis.

Herron, who doesn’t know how to play a bad round here came to the 13th, three back of Fred Funk but when he eagled that hole he had joined the lead as Funk bogeyed behind and all of a sudden four players were tied in the lead at ten under. Fred Funk, Austin, Herron and Tom Pernice all faced the last few holes knowing that they could win or lose the event for there. Herron nearly drove the green at the 15th, then was unable to get up and down for birdie. Austin however also did make birdie there to complete a run of five birdies in six holes to take the lead.

Herron then hit his mid iron tee shot at the 16th to perhaps six inches, the shot feeding off the shoulder of the right front trap, to set up a birdie and a share of the lead with Austin. The dangerous part of the 17th, the drive, was successfully negotiated by both but somehow Herron managed to hit his approach into the water short. “I hit it fat,” he said later. He took double bogey and fell two back of Austin who himself nearly committed the same sin on the 17th but was able to get up and down to save par and the lead.

Needing a two shot swing at the last, Herron drove it long and straight to follow an Austin tee shot that finished in a divot in the left hand rough. Austin, with little control available for such a lie, then hit his second through the green and when Herron hit his second to twenty five feet it was still on.

Austin hit a very good pitch to twelve feet and when Herron holed his putt for birdie then Austin had to hole his for par to win. He missed and they headed for a playoff.

Both players found the fairway at the first extra hole and when Austin knocked his to eight feet he had the inside running. Herron missed from forty feet and then Austin, again needing a makeable putt to win outright, did just that

Herron, who has suffered in recent weeks with Limes Disease, said afterwards that he hadn’t been feeling that well down the stretch and was just keen to get in. “I kept telling myself that I am just lucky to be playing right now and just enjoy it.” He so nearly made it a very enjoyable day. He had come from a long way back over the weekend with rounds of 65 and 66.

Zach Johnson came from the clouds with five birdies to finish for a share for third with Funk who also rallied late with birdies at the 17th and 18th. Also in third was Tom Pernice.

The Australasians were headed by an unlikely New Zealander in Tim Wilkinson who had pre-qualified for the event. His last round 64 was the equal best of the day and will give him hope for the future.

John Senden was 32nd picking up another US$20,000 and enough for assured security in 2005.

Aaron Baddeley and Craig Perks were 61st.

The USPGA Tour now heads to Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship.