Mahan powers to Bridgestone victory
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 Bridgestone Invitational | Round Four | 09 Aug 2010
Hunter Mahan has won his third PGA Tour event, but by far the biggest, when he finished two shots ahead of Ryan Palmer at the WGC Bridgestone Championship in Akron Ohio.
Mahan, who won earlier this year in Phoenix, has not been at his best since and when he bogeyed his opening two holes on Thursday it appeared as if things were not about to get a lot better. He battled through to a round of 71 then added 67 on Friday before powering home over the weekend with rounds of 66 and 64.
Mahan started the final round three behind the leaders, Ryan Palmer and Sean O’Hair but he stormed to the turn in 30 and at 11under par at that point he had the lead by one over O’Hair.
Mahan could not maintain the fast start but he did not make any mistakes either over the closing nine holes and when a 12 foot birdie putt at the 13th took him to 12 under he had established what would be an unassailable lead.
Palmer had a great chance at the par five 16th to move within one but his 5 iron approach was almost too good and finished over the back of the green from where he was unable to make the birdie he needed. He missed another chance at the 17th and that was essentially the end of his winning hopes.
“Yeah, obviously to win any time on the PGA TOUR is great, but an event like this, 80 of the best players in the world, this definitely means – it’s something special,” said Mahan after his win. “This is a great, great tournament. Bridgestone does an incredible job. This course is immaculate. Every time we come here it’s just like a major.”
“The course is perfect, rough, fast greens, and like I said, this is one of the bigger tournaments we play all year. This is a world golf event. All the players all over the world come here to play, and it’s definitely the best win of my career for sure. And it’s probably the coolest trophy we get, too. That thing is pretty cool.”
“Yeah, a major is always different,” said Mahan referring to his chances next week at the PGA.
“You feel it when you get there. I’m going to enjoy this as much as I can and just forget it and try to move on. I’ll try and enjoy it when I go home after the PGA.”
“Right now I’m going to enjoy this and then make sure I forget it and I don’t want to talk about this week after Monday and get working because it’s a heck of a challenge next week.”
The victory assured Mahan a start on the Ryder Cup without the concern of waiting for a nod from the captain as he has been forced to do on three previous occasions.
Like Mahan, Palmer too had started the event poorly dropping three shots in his first five holes on Thursday. He too had won early in the season in Hawaii but in the main it has been a horror run since. He has missed twelve of eighteen cuts since his Sony Open victory. He arrested the slide two weeks ago in Canada but his effort this week has been quite a turnaround.
“I can’t be disappointed, said Palmer. “I finished second in a World Golf Championship and I played good today being under the gun like I was. I mean, you’ve got to hand it to Hunter Mahan, he went out and did what I expected somebody to do and shot a low round. I didn’t lose the golf tournament. I’m proud of that.”
Sean O’Hair appeared as if he may be the one to beat when he birdied two of the opening four holes but he slipped to finish in a share of 5th. It was however yet another encouraging week for O’Hair who must now fancy his chances next week. He was, along with Nick Watney, the leading American at the Open Championship and he could easily lead the Americans again next week at the PGA.
Jim Furyk recorded a last round of 64 to share 6th with Jeff Overton, both good chances to do well next week.
The leading Australian was Adam Scott who finished in a share of 9th, Jason Day and Geoff Ogilvy were 22nd, Marcus Fraser was 58th, Stuart Appleby 63rd and Robert Allenby was forced to withdraw before the event.
