It's not over till it's over

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 Bell Canadian Open | Wrap | 09 Sep 2002

Golf’s glorious uncertainty once again manifested itself with the last hole horrors of Neil Lancaster at the Bell Canadian Open.

Leading by two as he reached the eighteenth tee and having done so since midway through round two the rising forty year old could have been forgiven for getting slightly ahead of himself. He will not be forgiving himself however as a last hole double bogey allowed Justin Leonard and John Rollins back into the equation. When Rollins found the middle of the green at the first extra hole he was in the driver’s seat and with a last round 65 behind him the hole was not doubt looking pretty big by now. Still this was an opportunity to win for the first time of the US Tour and, with the nerves and tension associated with that, he needed to be careful with Leonard assured of his par. Lancaster was now effectively out of the tournament as Rollins stood over his slightly down hill left to right putt that never really looked like missing.

For Leonard it was his third playoff loss in three attempts the most spectacular being the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie where he Van de Velde and Lawrie went head to head. For Lancaster his only experience in playoffs had been a good one winning the 1994 Byron Nelson Classic beating five others. For Rollins his only professional win , the Buy.Com Tour Hershey Open in 2001, had been in a playoff over Rod Pampling and although this was certainly a much greater stage. he handled it like an old campaigner.

Greg Chalmers tied for fourth, dispelling any ideas or concerns about next season. His cheque for $US176,000 has him at $US640,000 and well out of danger. It is amazing to think that with this being only his second top ten of the year (he was fifth in Milwaukee) he has amassed earnings of $A1,150,000. Nice work if you can get it. Chalmers will be ruing a slow start to the day dropping four shots in the first six holes. To think he missed by one in the end will be a source of frustration for him as he looks back over the round but still a great week.

Geoff Ogilvy produced a fine weekend with rounds of 64 and 68 to finish and will earn $US130,000 advancing his season’s earnings to $US775,000. It has been a topsy turvy year for Ogilvy, still striving for consistency, but when he is good he is very very good.

New Zealander Grant Waite, the first round leader, was also tied for sixth and he could use the money as, until this week, he was languishing on the money list with only $US183,000. He still needs a couple of good weeks to get to the $US460,000 or thereabouts to make sure of his card but he is on the right track at long last.

Paul Gow was 16th picking up $US62,000 but at $US270,000 he needs a lot more yet. John Senden who’s twentieth place here earns a cheque for $50,000 should be enough to gain him a top 125 end of season place it would appear.

Frank Nobilo and Rod Pampling were 22nd with Steve Allan 46th.

Final Round – Australasian Scores
T4 -15 Greg Chalmers
T6 -14 Geoff Ogilvy
T6 -14 Grant Waite
T16 -11 Paul Gow
T20 -10 John Senden
T22 -9 Rod Pampling
T22 -9 Frank Nobilo
T46 -5 Steve Allan

• Missed Cut *
  Mathew Goggin
  Michael Long
  Bradley Hughes