Corey Pavin: The Craftsman Returns

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2006 US Bank Championship | Wrap | 31 Jul 2006

If I was taking a youngster to a professional golf tournament for the first time and Corey Pavin was playing the event then it would be his group that I would head to first. It might be true that the youngster would be pulling me on the arm towards a group that might include the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson but there is little doubt that more can be learned from the type of golfer that Pavin is than perhaps any other golfer.

He plays a game that is more akin to the average player, but where that player can benefit most is from watching a true craftsman at work. Pavin has more shots in his arsenal than perhaps any other golfer. To a large extent he needs to as he can not rely on overpowering a golf course but rather outthinking one.

In this week’s US Bank Championship, which he won by two shots over Jerry Kelly, Pavin created a record on day one that might well have his name in the all time record books of the USPGA Tour for a long time to come. His front nine holes of 26 on day one was the result of some great long putting but there were also enough good shots in there to suggest to Pavin and others that this was more than putting display. When he added a 64 on day two, Pavin had the tournament lead by four and although that lead had been reduced to two starting the final round, this was a golf course that clearly suited the style of player he is and it would be hard for the chasers to catch him.

Pavin started in a more sedate manner today with just the one early birdie from 15 feet at the fifth but it would be his second to the 8th that would provide a cushion that would see him through to the end. From the middle of the fairway he had 172 yards to the hole and, with a 6 iron shaped from left to right, his second pitched fifteen feet short and then found the bottom of the cup. At that point his lead was four and to a large extent he shut up shop at that point. His game plan was just to keep the ball in play and make any chasers come to him. It worked a treat and although local hero Jerry Kelly found two further birdies to close the gap to two, the margin was just too great.

For Pavin this would be his first win on the USPGA Tour since 1996 at the Colonial, another course suited to those who can manoeuvre the ball at will. His game and his life went downhill from 1997 on, in fact he never finished better than 70th on the money list in the period from 1997 to 2005. There were personal issues in his life with his marriage to his first wife Shannon splitting but the changing face of golf in that time, whereby many of the game’s craftsmen were taken out of the game by technology, would also further exaggerate Pavin’s struggle.

To the now 46 year old’s credit, however, he kept playing and on golf courses where shotmaking still had a place he was still capable of competing. This year on courses such as Colonial and Harbour Town he has been more than effective and at the Buick Championship at the TPC at River Highlands just a few weeks ago he played solidly for much of the week. The signs were there for something special but perhaps not to this extent.

The contrast between the old and the new, the shotmaker and the power hitter of today, was never better illustrated than 35 yard difference in driving average between Kelly and Pavin for the week. It is true that Pavin often used fairway woods from the tee but that he found a way to not only compete but win against the odds is a great tribute to him.

Jeff Sluman continued his stunning record in this event when he finished in third place, one behind the runner up Kelly while D.J. Trahan and Frank Licklitter finished in a share of fourth.

Nathan Green was the best of the Australians in 9th place, his fifth top ten of his rookie season and a finish that will take his earnings beyond US1.33 million.

The performance of the week from an Australian perspective however was that from 18-year- old Jason Day. Day was playing in just his third tournament as a professional and started well with a 68 which had included a double bogey. In round two he put together a fine 64 that got him into contention. His third round of 70 saw him lose ground in what would be a low scoring week and when he started today, two early bogeys had him outside the top twenty. At the par five 6th however he hit a magnificent approach from 250 yard to less than ten feet and the eagle had him heading back in the right direction.

It would take Day another seven holes for the next birdie to appear but he followed that with a birdie at the 14th after nearly holing his tee shot and then at the fifteenth he two putted for his third birdie to get to eleven under. With the prospect of a top ten staring him in the face and therefore a chance to play next week at the Buick Open, Day needed perhaps two more birdies. He would only make one that being at the last when his eagle putt from 30 feet slipped by. Day finished 13th and the US$80,000 will be a welcome addition. His next start will be at the International in Colorado in two weeks time.

Nick O’Hern was 24th, Stephen Leaney 31st and David McKenzie 69th.

The PGA Tour now heads to Grand Blanc in Michigan for this week’s Buick Open where the golfing world awaits the reappearance of Tiger Woods after his magnificent win at Hoylake.