Gamez bookends Texas Open win with low rounds
IN: News | US PGA | Valero Texas Open (2005) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 26 Sep 2005
It would be fair to say that Robert Gamez's win in this week's Valero Texas Open has come from left field.
Eleven missed cuts in his last nineteen starts and a high finish of 20th was hardly the sort of form that suggested a win was close at hand. When he jumped out of the gates on Thursday however with an opening round of 62 however it appeared that this might be the week to get things back on track.
Gamez started the final day, one behind Woody Austin, however three consecutive birdies to start his round had him in front of Austin, who bogeyed the second. Gamez picked up three more birdies early in his back nine to open up a cushion which he maintained to the finish eventually winning by three from Olin Browne.
Gamez had not won since holing that amazing 7 iron at the last at Bay Hill back in his rookie year in 1990 to win the Nestle Invitational, the second of two wins in what was a brilliant first season. He has not done so well since however with injury in 1998 seeing him lose full playing status and juggled events on the USPGA and Nike Tours at that time to keep him playing.
A highly talented collegiate golfer at the University of Arizona, the now 37-year-old appears to be back to his winning and brilliant ways. Mind you he needed it as he was struggling to avoid Tour School this year.
Olin Browne continued his great season and his runner up placing here will move his earnings to US$1.78 million, by far his best season. After being forced to return to the Tour School in recent seasons he is back and like several others who played well on Fathers Day at Pinehurst this year, he seems to have benefited from a good week there.
If Gamez's form reversal was a surprise, so too was that of Mark Wilson, who has struggled to maintain status in his three season career on the PGA Tour to date. Like Browne, Wilson is a graduate from tour school in 2004. Apart from his one good finish to date in 2005 when 10th in Boston, there has been little to rejoice about in 2005 for the 30-year-old from Illinois. Last week in Pennsylvania he reeled off a second round of 68 after an opening 82 suggesting perhaps he had found a secret.
Wilson tied third with Woody Austin, who led into the final round but struggled early before a good finish saw him bounce back for third.
Australian John Senden moved into a challenging position with two early birdies, which had him in a share of second, but as he has done on other occasions he lost his way in the middle of the round. A bogey at the last was costly but he will be more disappointed that he was not able to convert one of his best chances for his first top five finish on the PGA Tour. He finished 8th.
The other Australians to make the cut were Aaron Baddeley and Rod Pampling 26th, Gavin Coles 33rd and Brendan Jones 72nd.
It would be remiss to leave this note without a mention of David Duval. He made his first cut in 17 events in 2005 and while not for a moment suggesting he is back, it was heartening to see.
The PGA Tour now heads to Greensboro for the Chrysler Classic of Greesnboro.
