Hank Kuehne Wins Playoff at Canadian Tours Quebec Open
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:42:13
Kuehne fired a final-round 3-under 69 for a 72-hole total of 15-under 273 to wind up tied with Michael Harris of Troy, MI. Ken Duke (Boca Raton, FL) and Quebec PGA star Remi Bouchard finished one shot back.
After struggling with short putts all day, Kuehne drained a crucial 15-footer on the final hole and then waited for Harris, who had birdied number 17 to pull even. Harris saved par on 18 to force the third playoff of the season. After both grabbed par on the first extra hole, Kuehne stepped up the second hole, the par-5 first, and crushed a drive way left that measured over 350 yards, with the ball staying in bounds and coming to a rest near the ladies tee on the 18th. His approach came to within 12 feet of the pin before he rolled the eagle putt a foot by the cup. Harris then just missed a six-footer that would have sent it to a third playoff hole.
"I was unbelievably lucky with that tee shot, but sometimes you need the breaks to win," said Kuehne. "I knew I needed to play well here, and I am pleased I rose to the occasion.
With his second win of the year, Kuehne takes over top spot on the Tour's Order of Merit ($105,959) with just next week's Greater Toronto Open remaining in the season. The triumph guarantees the 1998 U.S. Amateur Champion will be exempted into the Air Canada Championship and Bell Canadian Open and, by winding up in the top two on the money list, will receive an exemption into the second stage of PGA Tour Qualifying.
Steve Scott currently sits third in earnings with $66,255, meaning Kuehne can finish no worse than second. Only a win by Quinney next week would dislodge Kuehne from top spot.
"It feels like a big weight has been taken off me, this is what I have worked for all year. Anytime you can skip a week of Q-School, not to mention get into the PGA events up here, that's huge."
Scores and earnings Sunday after the final round of the Canadian Tour's $200,000 TELUS Quebec Open played at the 7103-yard, par-72 Le Versant GC (x-won on second playoff hole):
x-1 Kuehne, Hank Palm Beach, FL 68-67-69-69_273 -15 $32,000.00
2 Harris, Michael Troy, MI 70-68-66-69_273 -15 $19,200.00
T 3 Bouchard, Remi Candiac, QC 70-68-70-66_274 -14 $10,800.00
T 3 Duke, Ken Boca Raton, FL 70-67-66-71_274 -14 $10,800.00
5 Grob, Mike Billings, MT 69-70-70-66_275 -13 $8,000.00
T 6 Devenport, Paul New Zealand 71-69-68-68_276 -12 $6,900.00
T 6 McKenzie, David Australia 69-67-70-70_276 -12 $6,900.00
T 8 Butcher, Rodney Tampa, FL 72-67-70-68_277 -11 $5,400.00
T 8 Martin, Wes Calgary, AB 70-69-70-68_277 -11 $5,400.00
T 8 McGuigan, Doug Langley, BC 66-71-68-72_277 -11 $5,400.00
T 8 Parker, Perry Dana Point, CA 66-72-68-71_277 -11 $5,400.00
T 8 Steel, Iain Malaysia 70-68-68-71_277 -11 $5,400.00
T 13 Barber, Aaron Minneapolis, MN 66-70-71-71_278 -10 $3,866.67
T 13 Christensen, Dave Elk River, MN 68-70-72-68_278 -10 $3,866.67
T 13 Scott, Steve Royal Palm Beach, FL 73-68-66-71_278 -10 $3,866.67
16 Desjardins, Carl Vaudreuil, QC 71-66-71-71_279 -9 $3,400.00
T 17 McMillan, Rob Winnipeg, MB 68-69-72-71_280 -8 $3,000.00
T 17 Nelson, Birk Portland, OR 70-70-70-70_280 -8 $3,000.00
T 17 Quinney, Jeff Scottsdale, AZ 71-69-68-72_280 -8 $3,000.00
T 20 Bingham, Brett Red Deer, AB 69-71-73-68_281 -7 $2,450.00
T 20 Bohn, Jason Atlanta, GA 70-70-71-70_281 -7 $2,450.00
T 20 Kalinowski, Bobby Scottsdale, AZ 73-69-71-68_281 -7 $2,450.00
T 20 Short, Adam Vineland, ON 71-72-68-70_281 -7 $2,450.00
T 24 Enloe, Jason Dallas, TX 71-72-69-70_282 -6 $2,055.00
T 24 Gillespie, Derek Oshawa, ON 71-72-68-71_282 -6 $2,055.00
T 24 Howser, David Cordova, TN 75-67-68-72_282 -6 $2,055.00
T 24 Unk, Brian Cuyahoga Falls, OH 71-67-70-74_282 -6 $2,055.00
T 28 Johnson, Rob Terre Haute, IN 71-72-71-69_283 -5 $1,750.00
T 28 Lee, Eddy Corona, CA 70-71-71-71_283 -5 $1,750.00
T 28 Tiziani, Mario Chanhassen, MN 73-69-68-73_283 -5 $1,750.00
T 28 Wall, Chris Dallas, TX 70-70-73-70_283 -5 $1,750.00
T 32 Griff, Darren Salt Spring Island, BC 71-72-71-70_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Hearn, David Brantford, ON 74-69-73-68_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Locker, Chris Columbia, SC 74-68-69-73_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Massey, Rich Harrington Park, NJ 69-71-73-71_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Mathis, David Raleigh, NC 72-70-72-70_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 McCann, Brian Mississauga, ON 71-71-72-70_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Petty, Mayson Charlotte, NC 73-69-71-71_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Scaletta, Paul Richmond, VA 71-72-71-70_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Scott, Drew Pinehurst, NC 68-72-72-72_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Symons, Drew Woodstock, ON 70-70-76-68_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 32 Warner, Jarrod Phoenix, AZ 70-70-72-72_284 -4 $1,350.00
T 43 Daniel, Matt Richmond, BC 69-72-74-70_285 -3 $968.00
T 43 Gutschewski, Scott Omaha, NE 69-71-72-73_285 -3 $968.00
T 43 Kirk, Michael South Africa 72-71-72-70_285 -3 $968.00
T 43 Turpen, Tim West Palm Beach, FL 74-69-72-70_285 -3 $968.00
T 43 Woodard, Stephen Charlotte, NC 73-70-66-76_285 -3 $968.00
48 Pleis, Steve Parrish, FL 71-72-74-69_286 -2 $870.00
T 49 Fritsch, Brad Manotick, ON 69-71-72-75_287 -1 $820.00
T 49 Johnson, Andy Orlando, FL 73-70-71-73_287 -1 $820.00
T 49 Mackenzie, Will Greenville, NC 71-72-73-71_287 -1 $820.00
T 52 Correa, Larry San Diego, CA 70-71-71-76_288 0 $750.00
T 52 Driscoll, James Brookline, MA 72-71-70-75_288 0 $750.00
T 52 Parry, Bryn North Vancouver, BC 69-72-74-73_288 0 $750.00
T 52 Pettitt, Ben Coral Springs, FL 72-68-76-72_288 0 $750.00
T 56 Conrad, Bob Seattle, WA 72-69-73-75_289 1 $680.00
T 56 Learmonth, Chris Glen Robertson, ON 69-71-73-76_289 1 $680.00
T 56 Veress, Zoltan Kitchener, ON 70-72-74-73_289 1 $680.00
T 56 Webb, Brennan Bracebridge, ON 72-70-77-70_289 1 $680.00
T 60 Barnes, Andrew Phoenix, AZ 72-71-70-77_290 2 $480.00
T 60 Doohan, Todd Sarnia, ON 73-69-70-78_290 2 $480.00
T 60 Faught, David South Africa 68-74-74-74_290 2 $480.00
T 63 Spallone, Sal Vero Beach, FL 72-70-73-78_293 5 $400.00
T 63 Woodcock, Mike Chatam, ON 72-71-73-77_293 5 $400.00
65 Flugstad, Brian Seattle, WA 70-73-75-76_294 6 $400.00
66 Cuthill, Gregg Cowansville, QC 72-71-76-77_296 8 $400.00
"
