Pappas wins shortened Bogota Open
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2011 Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open Presented by Samsung | Final Round | 07 Mar 2011
It may have taken four days to play 36 holes and it might be an unofficial victory but for South African Brenden Pappas it matters little. The 40 year old has today recorded a one shot victory over Matt Every at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open after the event was finally and officially reduced to just 36 holes as a result of inclement weather throughout.
As it turned out the three birdies in his final four holes on Saturday to finish off his second round on Saturday were crucial for Pappas to claim the 36 hole lead, a lead that would eventually be confirmed as the winning break.
The final group played three holes in Sunday’s third and final round before they were called from the Bogota Country Club’s layout as lightning threatened danger.
It is the first time since the 2008 New Zealand PGA Championship that the Nationwide Tour has been forced to reduce a tournament to 36 holes.
Pappas has been backwards and forwards between the Nationwide and PGA Tours throughout the last ten years and following a disappointing PGA Tour season in 2010 is back at this level trying to find a way back to the Big League. He has done his cause a lot of good by winning this week despite the event being an unofficial victory.
Pappas has won only one Nationwide Tour event previously that coming in 2006 but the US$108,000 he earns as official money this week goes a long way to him being back on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Amongst those in a five way tie for third was Sydney’s Won Joon Lee who earns US$27,000 for his efforts. Now in his fourth Nationwide Tour season, Lee is still looking for the breakthrough on the Nationwide Tour to enable him to get to the PGA Tour. He appears to be getting closer having finished inside the top five in three of his last five Nationwide Tour starts.
Amongst the other Australasians, Andrew Buckle finished 11th, Alistair Presnell 13th, Ewan Porter 30th, early leader Matthew Giles 40th, with Danny Lee 49th, Nick Flangan, Adam Bland and Scott Gardiner 49th.
The Nationwide Tour now has a two week break before the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.
