Stunning playoff at Frys.com Open
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2011 Frys.com Open | Wrap | 10 Oct 2011
Bryce Molder has survived a stunning six hole playoff against Briny Baird at the Frys.com Open in San Martin in California to win his first PGA Tour event after first playing the Tour in 2001.
Baird had been waiting even longer for his first PGA Tour victory but this time it would be Molder, with a birdie at the 6th extra hole when darkness was closing in, who would be the one to break through.
Molder has played very well in recent months without seriously contending but the results suggested that something special was building but he has been forced to wait ten years for the win that many thought would come much earlier in his career.
In just his second PGA Tour event as a professional in 2001 and after what had been a brilliant amateur career, Molder finished 3rd at the Reno Tahoe Open and much was expected him. Things did not quite work out that way. Several seasons on Nationwide Tour gave an indication of just how good he was and although he won on only one occasion there he performed well on a regular basis.
Today Molder started three behind Baird but after a great third round of 65 he added a bogey free 64 today including a 12 footer at the last (72nd) for the birdie which would eventually prove crucial in forcing the event into extra time.
The feature of the playoff was the quality of the shot-making and, if and when something went wrong, the quality of the recoveries. After his win Molder talked of the victory and of the demons he has been facing in fulfilling his potential.
“I’ve had a few questions already about how does it feel to finally win, and I’m trying not to look at it as if there were expectations before this. It’s just — it’s very gratifying. It’s a lot of fun to be in contention and want to be there.
“To be honest, that was my biggest hurdle for the last few years is I’ve gotten myself into contention; and to be brutally honest, I didn’t want to be there, and I wasn’t ready for dealing with the nerves yet and the shots, and really the failure yet.
“And all of a sudden once you’re ready to deal with the failure, all of a sudden you can free things up and play, so that’s what I’ve been working on for a little while now. And it’s fun to be out there to — and hit some shots in those circumstances knowing everything’s on the line, and you really — you really don’t care that much. And it’s a fun way to play golf.”
It is hard not to feel sorry for Baird but he had his chances to put the tournament away – none more so than the 8 footer he faced at the 8th hole during the playoff. This was not so much a case of Baird losing the event however rather than Molder winning it so hopefully the loss will not rest too heavily with the 39 year old Baird.
Baird had holed from just off the green for eagle at the 71st hole to grab the outright lead before Molder holed his final putt in regulation play.
The pair finished two shots ahead of Bud Cauley the 21 year old who only turned professional after qualifying for this year’s US Open while Shane Bertsch and Ernie Els tied for 4th one shot further back.
Rod Pampling and Cameron Percy led the Australians when they shared 24th position. Pampling improved what might well be a crucial five positions on the money list to 114th while Cameron Percy is now 169th but is without a start at next week’s McGladrey Classic
Nathan Green struggled over the weekend after what had been a good start to the tournament to finish 30th while Marc Leishman was 36th.
Greg Chalmers was 50th, Matt Jones and Steve Bowditch 54th, Steve Elkington 60th and Aaron Price finished 72nd.
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