Mackenzie wins, Allan 4th at Viking
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Viking Classic | Round Four | 22 Sep 2008
Will Mackenzie is back. The 33-year-old from North Carolina has overcome knee surgery earlier this year and a triple bogey at his last hole on Saturday to win his second PGA Tour event, the Viking Classic in Madison, Mississippi, two years after his first in Reno Tahoe.
Mackenzie was enjoying a one shot lead when he reached the 54th hole on Saturday. He found the hazard and cleared away debris around the ball.
“I was spaced out after playing lift clean and place all day,” he said. “When I realised what I had done I called over the rules official.”
The penalty was two shots and the triple bogey saw him start the final round one shot behind.
Mackenzie came back from knee surgery at the John Deere Classic and very nearly won after leading that event for much of the tournament but today he birdied three of the last four holes to catch long time leader, Marc Turnesa and Brian Gay. Turnesa was looking for his breakthrough victory in his rookie season after winning on the Nationwide Tour last season.
Turnesa appeared to have the tournament himself when he raced three ahead with six holes to play. Only inexperience it seemed could stop him from a victory that would guarantee him security on the PGA Tour. The 30-year-old had only earned US$264,000 leading into this event and a victory would ensure any concerns about retaining his status would disappear.
That inexperience reared its head at the 17th hole when a double bogey caused him to fall back into a share of the lead with Gay. Turnesa and Mackenzie were playing in the final group and the final hole offered the chance for Mackenzie to join the two in the lead especially given it was a par five.
Mackenzie did make that birdie and after Gay had been eliminated at the first extra hole, he and Turnesa played one further hole before a birdie secured the title.
Australia’s Steve Allan, who currently has limited PGA Tour status in 2008, recorded his best finish in more than four years on the PGA Tour when he produced a last round of 66 to share 4th. Despite taking home a cheque today for US$148,800, Allan’s struggles on course this season means that unless he maintains his current form he will lose his PGA Tour status for 2009. He now has US$301,000 in earnings this season.
Nathan Green reversed some ordinary recent form also when he finished 25th, Gavin Coles was 45th, Andrew Buckle 56th and Nick Flanagan 63rd.
The PGA Tour now plays the Tour Championship in Atlanta but for most in this field their next event will be at the Turning Point Resort event in two weeks time.
