O'Hair emotional after Canadian Open win

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 RBC Canadian Open | Wrap | 25 Jul 2011

Sean O’Hair today won his 4th PGA Tour title defeating Kris Blanks at the first extra hole of a playoff to decide the RBC Canadian Open at the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

The pair was tied at 4 under par at the completion of 72 holes over the demanding tree-lined layout where thick rough and fast greens created almost US Open like conditions. A reflection on just how tough the course proved is highlighted by the fact that only eight players broke par for the 72 holes.

O’Hair needed only a bogey at the first extra hole to secure the victory after Blanks took four from the right hand bunker to double bogey the hole.

O’Hair was emotional as he discussed winning the event after being at a real low point earlier in the week. “To be sitting here right now is unbelievable. I tell you what, by the beginning of the week, to be honest with you, when I played my Pro-Am, obviously, it’s a very intimidating golf course and I played horrific. Probably, Wednesday night was my worst point of the whole year. Just kind of I didn’t know how I was going to play this week, and to be sitting here is amazing.

“Last week is one of my favourite weeks at the British Open. Something I look forward to all year. I played so great, and I ended up doubling my last hole from basically just off the fairway to miss the cut by a shot.

“I was having a hard time trying to learn from that experience. And obviously it’s been a tough year up to that point, missed a lot of cuts by a shot. I’ve worked very, very hard this year, and I’ve had so much support from family and friends, and just to keep me upbeat.

“I think the golf swing got off to a point where I was struggling to play the game and play it the way I play it. I like to hit a lot of different types of shots. I’m not a one-type of shot player. I like to shape shots both ways and strike it and whatnot.

“I got to a point where I had to go back to what kind of got me on the PGA TOUR. So I went back to an old coach of mine, Steve Dahlby, who has been coaching me on and off since I was about 11 or 12 years old.

“We just kind of started rebuilding it right before THE PLAYERS. I thought I was over this hump after THE PLAYERS Championship. I had a good PLAYERS Championship and had a good Colonial. But I think this week the golf swing, the game has been there, but mentally I was a lot better. You know, I’ve been impatient. I’ve been wanting to play myself out of this slump so bad, and I’ve been getting in my own way

“This week I did a better job. I still need to work on it, but I did a better job to stay out of my own way and playing good golf and letting the chips fall where they may.”
Blanks was disappointed to have missed the opportunity for his first PGA Tour victory but was happy enough with the overall result.

“Oh, sure. It definitely changes things. I played four or five weeks in a row already. I haven’t checked yet, but hopefully the points and the settings might give me some other stuff also. I might need to readjust my schedule a little bit.

“I think I’m not going to go next week and play. Just kind of relax next week and then probably go to Reno still. But definitely makes the whole rest of the year a lot easier.”

Argentinean Andres Romero finished third after a bogey at his final hole cost him a chance of joining O’Hair and Blanks in the playoff. Romero had recovered from a poor start to his final round with an unbelievable run of birdies through the back nine before the late bogey. Five birdies in seven holes over this layout was something to behold.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy produced his best tournament since the great 4th place finish at the Masters when he tied for 4th with Canadian and crowd favourite Adam Hadwin.

Ogilvy had his chances over the closing stages but a missed opportunity at the reachable par five 15th and a missed 4 footer at the 16th cost him any winning chance. Still it was a timely return to form for Ogilvy who is currently in 12th position in the Presidents Cup standings and was in need of a form reversal.

Greg Chalmers was 22nd, Peter Lonard, Jarrod Lyle and Aron Price 50th and former winner Nathan Green 76th.

The PGA Tour now plays the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.

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