Van Pelt breaks through at US Bank
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 US Bank Championship | Round Four | 20 Jul 2009
Two players seeking their maiden USPGA Tour victories were today involved in a playoff for the US Bank Championship but it would be Bo Van Pelt who would emerge the winner over John Mallinger at the Brown Deer Park Golf Club in Milwaukee.
For Van Pelt it was his first victory in 229 starts on the PGA Tour while for Mallinger it was his 81st start.
The 34-year-old Van Pelt’s final round of 64 was good enough to hold off Mallinger who had also gone low with a round of 65 including a strong late burst of two birdies and an eagle in his final four holes. Van Pelt would win with a birdie at the second extra hole after both had birdied the first.
It’s been a long time coming for Van Pelt and he knows it.
“There comes a point when you have to draw a line in the sand and say, ’enough’s enough’,” an emotional Van Pelt said. “I’ve had enough good chances and haven’t got it done and now it feels good. The way I’ve played these play-off holes made it worth the wait.”
Mallinger on the other hand was philosophical about his near miss.
“I’ll take a lot of positives out of this,” he said. “I’m just a little disappointed right now. I felt like I was kind of in the driver’s seat coming in after I made eagle on 15 and birdie on 16, kind of a bad lie on 17, actually made a pretty good bogey, and then made birdie to get in the playoff.”
“So I did as much as I could. Bo had two great shots on 18 in the playoff. Hats off to him. He played great. That’s just where it is. I’ve been here a lot. I think eventually it’s going to happen, I don’t know when but hopefully sooner than later.”
Pre-tournament favourite Jerry Kelly, who turned down the chance to play the Open Championship to support an event which is about to lose its sponsor, finished third while Dicky Pride, Jeff Quinney and Jeff Klauk tied for 4th position.
The leading Australian this week was Greg Chalmers, who led after 36 holes and was just one behind the lead of Frank Lickliter heading into today’s final round. Chalmers got off to a slow start on a low scoring day and never recovered. He finished in a share of 15th and will be ruing his lost opportunity especially given that a top three finish this week would have gone a long way to putting his money list concerns to bed.
Nick O’Hern finished 31st, Mark Hensby and Steve Elkington 45th, Stephen Leaney and Matt Jones 50th, Aron Price 63rd and Peter Lonard made the cut but did not play Sunday’s final round under the MDF (Made The Cut, Did Not Finish) ruling.
