Herron holds on for first win in seven years
IN: News | US PGA | Bank of America Colonial (2006) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 22 May 2006
In what developed into a most intriguing contest over the final nine holes, Tim Herron outlasted Swede, Richard Johnson, at the second hole of a playoff at the Bank of America Colonial and won his first event in more than seven years.
What had appeared to be a battle between Herron and Australia's Rod Pampling, over the closing nine holes took a dramatic turn when Pampling double bogeyed the 15th hole and Johnson birdied his last two holes. After bogeys himself at the 14th and 16th holes, it was then Herron who had to fight hard to join Johnson after the Swede had posted 12 under with his birdie at the last.
Pampling recovered from his disaster to create one last chance from 25 feet at the last but his putt ran four feet past the hole and third was the best he could manage.
Johnson, who was in the group ahead of Herron and Pampling, book-ended his final round with consecutive birdies but through much of his round he appeared to be playing for third. At the 17th he holed from 25 feet for birdie to move within one and then at the last, after a superb approach, he holed from eight feet to move into a share of the lead with Herron.
Herron had made a great par saving putt of 12 feet at the 17th and then at the last, after missing the green short and left, he holed a clutch par save from nine feet to ensure that he would be part of the ongoing action.
In the playoff both players parred the first extra hole but at the second (the 17th) Herron hit a fine second to ten feet and when he holed that it was all over.
Herron has been plagued by Lyme Disease, a debilitating chronic fatigue type complaint, and other ailments in recent seasons but he is one of the likeable characters on the PGA Tour who crowds warm to.
Despite the disappointment Johnson produced his best PGA Tour finish and the US$648,000 - by far his biggest cheque.
Pampling was rock solid for most of the round until he reached the par four 15th. His drive was down the right rough line and in the end he was perhaps fortunate to have a shot of any sort. He did, however, have to slide the ball from left to right as he was blocked by the trees ahead. He did just that but overdid it and the ball came to rest on the cart path adjacent to the out of bounds fence to the right. The only relief he could get hardly improved his situation and so with a severely restricted backswing he could only hit and hope with his third. It raced across the green and from there he took three more to get down.
Herron had hardly starred in 2006 but the last few weeks have shown significant signs of improvement. The Colonial Golf Club had yielded a runner up placing for Herron several years ago but typically he has not had a great record on this layout. When he made a quick start to his round today however, it appeared that things were about to change. He birdied three of his first four holes to open up a two shot lead over Johnson, who was also quick out of the blocks. At that point Herron led by two over Johnson, Nathan Green and Pampling but when Pampling added further birdies at the 7th and 11th he was tied with Herron.
Green had actually moved within one of Herron when he birdied the 7th but disaster struck when the rookie double bogeyed the 9th hole. He found the water left with his approach from the right hand rough and his winning chance was all but gone. He hit a magnificent second the 12th to keep a flicker of hope alive but an unlucky bogey at the 14th was followed by another at the 16th and he eventually had to settle for a seven way tie for fourth.
The seven way tie for fourth included Stephen Ames, who produced a fourteen shot turnaround from his Saturday 77 when he shot 63. Peter Lonard was also in that group continuing a great record at the Colonial where he has played seven of his last eight rounds in the 60's. Lonard could not get anything going today but he finally has things moving forward after a shaky start to the year.
Nick O'Hern perhaps gave a sign of better things to come when he finished 12th, Robert Allenby was 17th and John Senden 45th.
The PGA Tour now heads to Memphis for the Fed Ex St Jude Classic.
