A double whammy for Johnson in Houston
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Shell Houston Open | Round Four | 07 Apr 2008
Second season PGA Tour player, Johnson Wagner, not only won his first PGA Tour event today, he has gained a start at Augusta National after being the last man to qualify for the Masters with a two shot victory over Geoff Ogilvy and Chad Campbell at the Shell Houston Open.
Wagner arrived on the PGA Tour via a brilliant Nationwide Tour season in 2006 where he won twice and finished runner up on the money list that year. In his rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2007 he did well enough to safely retain his card and has reaped the rewards of that experience this week. It had not been a good season to this point in 2008 for Wagner but after an opening round of 63 on Thursday he led from start to finish which, for a player of his limited experience in this situation, was a huge effort.
He was kept honest throughout the final round by strong challenges from Chad Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy and earlier Bob Estes but he held his nerve at a time when many felt the task might be too great.
Chad Campbell too was looking for a start at The Masters. As a player who finished third behind Mickelson there in 2006 he would have been anxious to have taken his improved form of late to Augusta but it was not to be. Despite a double bogey at his 8th hole today, Campbell closed within one of Johnson when he birdied four of the first five holes of the back nine after Wagner wobbled a little with a three putt at the 14th. Just when it was time to apply the ultimate pressure, Campbell faltered with a bogey at the 16th and left Wagner with just the cushion he needed over the closing two holes.
Ogilvy had been encouraged to come to Houston by his friend Adam Scott and it proved to be the perfect lead in to Augusta for the Australian. When he moved to 14 under through 13 holes it appeared he might continue his winning streak after his victory at Doral but a bogey at the 14th proved costly to his chances of victory.
Ogilvy finished the event off well however with a ten foot birdie at the last to finish in a share of second with Campbell. Ogilvy has been in great shape as he heads to Augusta for the third time and with two solid weeks there in his first two starts he has a genuine chance.
Bob Estes is somewhat of a Redstone Golf Club specialist having finished runner up and 9th in his two starts at the Tournament Course. He gave every indication that might just improve on that record when he moved to 14 under through 12 holes. Two late bogeys saw him finish in a share of 6th but was an uncanny example of the ‘horses for courses’ theory in tournament golf.
In a share of 4th place were Billy Mayfair and Fred Couples. At the age of 48 Couples was again particularly impressive on the eve of a tournament where he has played so well. Couples will next week look to make his 24th cut in succession at Augusta and there is now every reason to believe he can do much better.
One other Australian finished inside the top ten namely Jason Day who after just making the cut on Friday added weekend rounds of 69 and 65 to finish in a share of 8th. After four consecutive missed cuts it was great to see the talented 20-year-old back in form.
Steve Elkington and Aaron Baddeley finished 14th, Mathew Goggin rode the rollercoaster in round four to finish 20th, Rod Pampling and Stuart Appleby were 23rd, Robert Allenby 34th, Mark Hensby and New Zealander Tim Wilkinson 47th, Stephen Leaney and Michael Sim 57th and Nathan Green 66th.
Defending champion, Adam Scott, shot 63 on day one, 76 on day two and was then forced to withdraw from the event with a nasty flu like virus.
