Kelly earns first PGA title with Sony Open
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 Sony Open in Hawaii | Wrap | 14 Jan 2002
35-year-old Jerry Kelly has been anxiously waiting for this day, the day when he would finally get across the line first in a USPGA Tour event.
He has threatened to do so on several occasions only to be thwarted at the last hurdle. But the writing has been on the wall for this occasion to arise, with improving performances on each of the six years he has been on tour to date culminating last year in his most successful year with earnings of $1,500,000 and a second placing at the Reno Tahoe event. His big improvement of late has been his putting and the work that he has done there appears to be paying dividends.
He was forced to birdie the last after a final round that saw several challenges for the lead but nobody took it from Kelly although David Toms did draw level at one stage. In the end he won by a single shot over John Cook and to a certain extent it was poetic justice in that it was Cook who edged him out in Tahoe last year to deny him his first victory.
Kelly earned $US720,000 for his victory and may, as a result of his win, find himself in the Accenture Match Play next month. Currently 82nd on the rankings list he should pick up enough points to go close to the top sixty-four, the necessary mark for the Accenture.
John Cook appears to have an affinity with the Waialae course having won here previously in 1992 and second in 1991 and finishing second in 1992. He seems to have found form again and with the Bob Hope coming up this week where he has won before who knows what he may do there. He did not play well last week at the Mercedes finishing 28th out of 32 but he appears to be close to his best again and this 44 year old is flying the flag well for the oldies.
So to is 43-year-old Jay Don Blake, who produced the day’s equal best round of 65 to grab third from two of the tour’s bright young stars, Charles Howell III and Matt Kuchar with David Toms arguably the hottest player on the tour at present.
Robert Allenby headed the Australians despite a last round 72 to finish 23rd, Steve Elkington continuing his steady return to form 40th, Peter Lonard in his USA debut as a card holder 44th, Stuart Appleby 54th and New Zealander Phil Tataurangi 60th.
Tour rookies Rod Pampling, John Senden and Michael Long missed the cut but with the nervousness of their first event out of the way then hopefully things can only get better.
The USPGA Tour now returns to the mainland for the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
