Stiles eagles his way to victory
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2002 Knoxville Open | Wrap | 01 Jul 2002
29-year-old Darren Stiles produced two eagles on par fours in his final round 68, and he needed to, as he just held out both Aaron Baddeley and Steve Ford by a shot.
As it turned out, a birdie at the last would have given Baddeley a playoff but it was not to be, missing a fifteen-foot attempt. I am sure however Baddeley will be very happy to see that all the hard work is beginning to pay off. His second place cheque for $US37,400 now has him in 21st place on the money list and perhaps his dream of a card for the US Tour is not all that far away.
But what about Stiles? He eagled the par four third from 122 yards and then the par four fifteenth from 160 yards. I think somebody was telling him that it was his week. He has played the Buy.Com Tour for several years and has won three times without being able to get to the USPGA Tour. It is interesting to note that in one of those other wins at the Nike Dominion Open in 1999 he holed a nine iron at the last to win.
New Zealander Steve Alker was 44th but remains in fifth place on the money list.
