Canadian Tours Michelin Ixtapa Classic
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:37:10
The 32-year-old Asian Tour member, playing in this event on a sponsor's exemption, carded a final round 7-under 65 at Palma Real Golf Club for a four-day total of 21-under 267, four shots in front of Californian Bryan Saltus. Michael Kirk of South Africa tied the course record 64 and wound up third at 16-under, while Steve Scott of Wellington, FL was 15-under 273.
Bryan DeCorso of Guelph, ON, who also moonlights as a course reporter for The Golf Channel, was the top Canadian at 14-under. Derek Gillespie of Oshawa, ON also matched the record 8-under 64 Sunday to end up T-35.
His victory Sunday ensures del Olmo receives exemption onto the Canadian Tour through the end of the 2004 season. With the Asian Tour resuming next week in Korea, del Olmo will fly back overseas but will keep his options open about returning to North America to play in Canada later this summer.
"I'd love to play here in the future, after I get back from Korea (in May)," said del Olmo. "It's one of the world's fastest-growing Tours. There were some great players, but I also liked the atmosphere here. The scores are low every week. I'm looking forward to getting into as many events as I can."
On Sunday, del Olmo put the finishing touches on what was a wire-to-wire triumph in which he held at least a share on the lead from the opening round on. Heading into play tied with Munoz, del Olmo made an early statement by hitting his second shot on the par-5 opening hole to within two feet and draining the eagle putt. He then had tap-in birdies on three of his next four holes. "The quick start made it a bit easier for me. After that, it was a struggle not to get ahead of myself. I played in the present, and just concentrated shot by shot."
Saltus, now into his second year on the Canadian Tour, enjoyed his lowest-ever total score. At one point, he pulled to within three shots but that was as close as he could get. "You've got to hand it to that guy, he just played fantastic all week,"
aid Saltus of del Olmo. "I was stoked out there today, but it's been so relaxing all week. Every day has been like a vacation."
The surfer-turned-golfer, one of the more colourful players on Tour, was asked if he would use part of his $14,400 CDN cheque to purchase a new surfboard. "Naw, I'll be up in Canada all summer and I'll be golfing, not surfing. But trust me, I'll be in rare form (Sunday night)."
DeCorso will now fly across the continent to Myrtle Beach, SC this week where he will be behind microphone for The Golf Channel at the Canadian Tour 's Barefoot Classic. "Yeah, the guys will probably tell me if I could get to 14-under, then it must have been an easy course," he laughed. "But I've played well all off-season (in Florida), but I just haven't played many Tour events."
Coming off a second-place showing at the Scottsdale Swing at Eagle Mountain, Gillespie, 23, had an up-and-down week here, posting rounds of 75-66-76-64. "Believe it or not, I hardly made any putts all day," he said. "I was just hitting it close every hole. Had my putting been on, I could have had just a stupid score."
Final Scores and Earnings
1 del Olmo, Pablo Nuevo leon 64-68-70-65_267 -21 $24,000.00
2 Saltus, Bryan Costa Mesa, CA 65-68-72-66_271 -17 $14,400.00
3 Kirk, Michael South Africa 71-69-68-64_272 -16 $9,000.00
4 Scott, Steve Wellington, FL 70-68-67-68_273 -15 $7,200.00
5 DeCorso, Bryan Guelph, ON 72-69-67-66_274 -14 $5,700.00
5 McKenzie, David Australia 64-68-71-71_274 -14 $5,700.00
7 Butcher, Rodney Tampa, FL 66-71-68-70_275 -13 $4,350.00
7 Duke, Ken Boca Raton, FL 69-66-68-72_275 -13 $4,350.00
7 Quiroz, Alex Mexico 72-65-67-71_275 -13 $4,350.00
7 Reese, Mikkel Chandler, AZ 69-68-68-70_275 -13 $4,350.00
7 Trauwitz, Jose Euless, TX 70-68-69-68_275 -13 $4,350.00
12 Armagost, Adam 70-67-68-71_276 -12 $3,450.00
13 Munoz, Alex Mexico 69-69-64-75_277 -11 $3,150.00
14 Conrad, Bob Seattle, WA 69-67-73-69_278 -10 $2,550.00
14 Harris, Michael Troy, MI 71-72-66-69_278 -10 $2,550.00
14 Mitchell, Michael Tequesta, FL 71-69-67-71_278 -10 $2,550.00
14 Petty, Mayson Charlotte, NC 68-66-73-71_278 -10 $2,550.00
14 Wollmann, Chris Strongsville, OH 69-68-72-69_278 -10 $2,550.00
19 Christensen, Dave Elk River, MN 71-69-70-69_279 -9 $1,890.00
19 Maunder, Eddie Whitby, ON 68-72-68-71_279 -9 $1,890.00
19 McLean, Alan South Africa 73-68-66-72_279 -9 $1,890.00
19 Perez, Cesar Puebla 67-72-71-69_279 -9 $1,890.00
19 Smock, Brian Chula Vista, CA 70-70-70-69_279 -9 $1,890.00
19 Swanson, Dan (A) Surrey, BC 73-70-65-71_279 -9 $0.00
25 Davidson, Graham Palm Beach Gardens, FL 69-70-71-70_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Drewery, Jonn Cambridge, ON 71-72-67-70_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Fritsch, Brad Manotick, ON 71-66-73-70_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Gonzalez, Octavio Mexico 73-69-71-67_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Greenwood, Chris Valdese, NC 70-73-68-69_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Hend, Scott Australia 69-68-73-70_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Matyczuk, Davidson Thunder Bay, ON 69-71-71-69_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Morales, Wilfredo Dorado, Puerto Rico 68-69-71-72_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Stewart, James Hong Kong 69-72-68-71_280 -8 $1,377.75
25 Welder, Jamie Calgary, AB 73-71-68-68_280 -8 $1,377.75
35 Ford, Scott Lake Worth, FL 73-68-68-72_281 -7 $1,031.25
35 Gillespie, Derek Oshawa, ON 75-66-76-64_281 -7 $1,031.25
35 Hinds, Jerry Orillia, ON 73-70-71-67_281 -7 $1,031.25
35 McMillan, Rob Winnipeg, MB 68-74-68-71_281 -7 $1,031.25
35 McNeill, George Ft. Myers, FL 69-75-70-67_281 -7 $1,031.25
35 Salazar, Juan Guanajuato 68-70-69-74_281 -7 $1,031.25
41 Bohn, Jason Atlanta, GA 70-74-68-70_282 -6 $807.50
41 Deanda, David Guanajuato 67-73-71-71_282 -6 $807.50
41 Fernandez, Pablo Mexico 74-67-68-73_282 -6 $807.50
41 Johnson, Mark Helendale, CA 69-73-70-70_282 -6 $807.50
41 Payne, Brian Chicago, IL 70-68-68-76_282 -6 $807.50
41 Woodard, Stephen Charlotte, NC 71-69-71-71_282 -6 $807.50
47 Barber, Aaron Orlando, FL 71-69-72-71_283 -5 $663.75
47 Kovacs, Kyle Sherman Oaks, CA 68-70-72-73_283 -5 $663.75
47 Lebeck, David Portland, OR 74-69-72-68_283 -5 $663.75
47 Watt, James Las Vegas, NV 75-68-71-69_283 -5 $663.75
51 Corral, Jorge Mexico 74-69-71-70_284 -4 $600.00
51 Doig, Ian Newmarket, ON 71-73-68-72_284 -4 $600.00
51 Inman, Manuel Mexico City 73-70-69-72_284 -4 $600.00
54 Quinlivan, Sean West Palm Beach, FL 72-72-68-73_285 -3 $570.00
55 Torres, Jesus Mexico City 72-70-68-76_286 -2 $555.00
56 Gullion, Joey Dallas, TX 72-67-74-74_287 -1 $534.00
56 Webb, Brennan Bracebridge, ON 72-70-72-73_287 -1 $534.00
58 Wright, Bryan Stanberry, MO 70-74-75-73_292 4 $516.00
59 Warner, Jarrod Phoenix, AZ 73-70-73-77_293 5 $504.00
60 Doohan, Todd Sarnia, ON 70-73-78-75_296 8 $492.00
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