Rookie Reavie revels in Canadian win
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Canadian Open | Round Four | 28 Jul 2008
Chez Reavie has won the 2008 Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club outside of Toronto today. Reavie’s three shot victory over Billy Mayfair makes him the 8th first time winner on the PGA Tour this season, joining Brian Gay, Andres Romero, Johnson Wagner, Greg Kraft, Ryuji Imada, Anthony Kim and Richard. S. Johnson.
Reavie, a graduate from the 2007 Nationwide Tour, started his rookie season with an early 5th place finish at the Bob Hope Classic but that side there was not a lot to get excited about. He needed something special in the coming months as his status for next season was in question, especially with several events coming up in the weeks ahead for which he would be ineligible.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the 26-year-old’s victory today was the manner in which he responded to a bogey, par, bogey, start when leading into the final round.
As he walked to the 4th tee he shared the lead with one of the game’s emerging stars, Anthony Kim, and it appeared that Reavie might well disappear from contention.
Immediately he was in the hunt again with a birdie at the 4th and never looked back. He kept producing quality shots when his inexperience at this level suggested he shouldn’t and it would be two time 2008 winner Kim who would falter.
As Kim faded, perhaps the result of fatigue after what was a great debut at the Open last week, it would be Billy Mayfair who would step up to the plate with three late birdies to finish alone in second place three behind the winner while Sean O’Hair and the improving Steve Marino shared third.
Steve Allan was the best of the Australians in what was an ordinary week for the down under contingent, finishing 37th, first round leader, Jason Day, was 48th, Andrew Buckle was 53rd, Nick Flanagan was 69th and John Senden made the first cut but missed the Saturday cut.
The PGA Tour now moves to Akron in Ohio for this week’s World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational while those not eligible get their chance at the Reno Tahoe Open.
