Kenny Perry strolls to Colonial win
IN: News | US PGA | Bank of America Colonial (2005) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 23 May 2005
The winner of the Bank of America Colonial was decided long before the leader Kenny Perry teed it up on day four, but there was much at stake for those chasing in his wake for a share of the significant spoils that awaited those able to claim one of the leading placings.
As the last group teed off today, course specialist Perry appeared to have a lock on the first place cheque of US$1.08 million and the manner in which he started his round gave little evidence to suggest otherwise. A birdie at the first was followed by solid play until another birdie at the 5th and yet another at the 11th with no mistakes in between. By the time he stood on the 12th tee he was nine shots ahead of Peter Lonard and Billy Mayfair and in conditions in which too much exertion was a real task, he was able to ease his way to victory. The temperature gauge hovered around 40 degrees for most of the afternoon and for Perry the huge cushion was important in allowing him luxury of not being mentally drained by the heat and a tight battle.
Perry did double bogey the 17th in what was, apart from one bogey on day one, his only real mistake of the week but with a par at the last he was home by seven.
For Perry this would be his second win of the year and his second win at this venue. Long gone are the memories of Perry's demise at the 1996 USPGA Championship when he struggled his way up the first hole of a playoff against Mark Brooks. He had not spent anytime staying loose that day after his round, instead doing a little commentary and awaiting the outcome of the battle that was going on behind him. It cost him as he was clearly not ready for the playoff when it did get underway. Now however Perry is being remembered for the quality of his golf and as a winner of tournaments rather than a loser.
With three victories on the USPGA Tour prior to that PGA Championship, it took Perry another five years before he won again but since that win in 2001 at the Buick Open there have not only been five wins but six other top threes and large amounts of prizemoney each year.
The real interest apart from the display of quality golf that Perry had shown all week was the race for second. At one stage today six players were tied in 11 under and with US$604,000 the carrot for the runner up to Perry, much was at stake for those behind. Not as much as commentator Bobby Clampett suggested at one stage however when he indicated that a strong finish was important for Lonard to get into the top ten on the money list and allow him access to the US and British Opens, but a lot all the same. After all, Lonard already has exemption to those events courtesy of his standing in the world ranking but I guess it made a nice story anyway.
Lonard was certainly one of those in the mix for second but so were the likes of Mayfair, Rod Pampling, David Toms, Joe Durant, Brandt Jobe and Aaron Baddeley amongst others.
Mayfair has played well this season missing only one of thirteen cuts and recording several top tens. His switch to the long belly putter has worked wonders and he was very much in the hunt for the runner up place all day. Lonard on the other hand has gone from the long to the short putter with immediate effect at the MCI Heritage Classic, but his two starts since have resulted in missed cuts so here he was back in the thick of things on a golf course built for his game. His putting was good all week but it was his typical game of fairways and greens on a golf course that demanded such, that allowed him to contend to the level he did.
When Mayfair birdied the 11th to go to 12 under again, he had established a mark that others would reach, then struggle to maintain, and in the end he would finish in second place albeit seven back of his playing partner Perry.
Lonard reached 12 under with a birdie at the 11th and although he had a couple of chances over the closing holes he fell victim to a wayward drive at the 17th, the resultant bogey seeing him drop back to share third with David Toms and Joe Durant.
For Toms this was his best effort after a series of completely out of character performances in recent weeks. Since his great run in February and March his best in five starts since his fifth at the Honda has been 38th. He is much better than that and he proved it today. His big mistake came at the par three 13th where he found the water and took a double bogey.
Another who made critical errors today, this time on the 18th, was Rod Pampling.
Pampling has played well since the Players Championship including his brilliant fifth at Augusta on debut and today when he reached 12 under after three quick birdies early, he looked on track for his best finish of the year. He reached the last having not advanced on that score but was in second place.
With his drive perfectly placed he had a great opportunity to birdie the last and move into second outright. From just 90 yards however he pulled his second left and when his ball found the water he was destined for a double bogey and he fell from a potential share of second or perhaps outright second to a seven way tie for 6th. The errant shot had cost him at least $US330,000...ouch!
Others at 10 under in seventh place included Aaron Baddeley, who himself had bogeyed the last although his mistake was the result of a wild drive, recent winner Scott Hend who recorded his best finish of the year and the second best of his PGA Tour career, recent winner Tim Petrovic, Rory Sabbatini, Bernhard Langer and Brandt Jobe.
Other Australasians were Stuart Appleby 26th, Geoff Ogilvy and John Senden 38th, Stephen Leaney 44th and Craig perks 65th.
The USPGA Tour now heads to Memphis for the Fed Ex St Jude Classic.
