Oh the agony for Steve Allan
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2008 Frys.com Open | Round Four | 27 Oct 2008
With one hole to play at the Frys.com Open in Scottsdale Arizona, Victorian Steve Allan had all but wrapped up his 2009 PGA Tour card. At that point he stood at 15 under and was alone in fourth position which, if he had been able to par the last, would have secured his place inside the top 125 and a return to the PGA Tour.
After a superb drive of just over 300 yards he was left with 189 yards to the flag and with what would have been perhaps a seven iron, he found the water right of the green and took double bogey. Allan had also bogeyed the 17th after three putting from long range so the 35-year-old will be reflecting on what might have been as he looks ahead to next week’s event in Palm Coast in Florida and the following week in Orlando.
Allan eventually shared 7th position and a potential US$240,000 had become US$150,000 and the difference between 2009 PGA Tour status or not was highlighted.
In his current form, Allan is still well placed to move inside the top 125 at season’s end but to have completed the deal this week would have avoided the stress of the next two weeks. His form has certainly turned around in recent weeks as a decision to go less hard at the golf ball is taking effect.
The tournament was won by Cameron Beckman, who outlasted Kevin Sutherland at the second extra hole of a playoff to win his second PGA Tour title and deny Sutherland his first PGA Tour strokeplay victory. Sutherland has previously won the Accenture Match Play Championship.
Beckman had been struggling for much of 2008 and without a top ten in 26 starts his immediate future on the PGA Tour was at best precarious. This victory changes all that.
Beckman reeled off seven birdies in ten holes from the 7th after a slow start and his round of 63 saw him catch the long time leader Sutherland. Sutherland dropped a shot at the 16th when missing the par three green to the right and was unable to secure the one extra birdie he needed to break clear. Both players parred the first extra hole before Beckman parred the second extra hole, the 17th, to win and secure his playing rights for the next two years.
Mathew Goggin produced his second 63 of the tournament to finish third and take his earnings in 2008 to US$1,960,000 and move inside the top 40 on the money list, his best ever season on the PGA Tour.
Michael Sim was the next best of the Australians in a share of 7th after a year where the aftermath of a back injury has continued to plague him. Sim played on only limited PGA Tour medical exemption this season and played only five early season events and the occasional Nationwide Tour event.
This is a significant improvement for him after Monday qualifying for the event earlier in the week and he will head to Tour School with the confidence of a significant finish behind him. The US$150,000 won’t hurt either.
Steve Elkington was 17th, Peter Lonard and Rod Pampling 20th, Mark Hensby 61st and Nick Flanagan 65th. Lonard has been working with the short putter in recent weeks but a decision to change back to the long putter after 36 holes this week paid immediate dividends. After just making the cut he finished 20th.
The PGA Tour will now play the Ginn sur Mer Classic on the Palm Coast of Florida.
