John Rollins Wins Playoff at Bell Canadian Open
Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:44:30
Rollins caught fire in his bogey-free final round and used seven birdies to card a seven-under-par 65 to finish up at 16-under for the tournament. The win would net the 26-year-old his first PGA Tour victory and the $720,000 first-place prize.
Lancaster looked poised for victory as he held a two-stroke lead over Rollins and Leonard heading into the 18th hole. An errant approach shot found the rough to the left of the bunker and as he chipped on to the green, his ball came to rest 33 feet below the hole. He would then three-putt to finish double-bogey and force the playoff.
Rollins and Leonard - who were in the clubhouse when news of the playoff came about - headed back to the 18th hole with Lancaster to the delight of thousands of onlookers at Angus Glen.
All three found the fairway off the tee and set up for their approaches. Lancaster pushed his second shot into the bunker while Leonard's approach sat on the left fringe. Lancaster double-bogeyed again and Leonard putted to within a foot for par to put the pressure on Rollins. Rollins approach landed on the green 18 feet left of the hole and he then he calmly sank a birdie putt for the win. The native of Richmond, VA couldn't believe the turn of events that led to his victory.
"What can I say? It's a dream come true," said Rollins, whose previous best finish was a tie for ninth at the 2000 Greater Milwaukee Open. "When I finished my round today, I was sure I didn't have a chance to win. I knew I would have a good solid finish and probably take home second or third. It's a huge honour to win Canada's biggest event and I'm sure I'll be here for many years to come."
Deservedly shaken after letting victory slip from his grasp, Lancaster admitted that his nerves had gotten the best of him on the 18th and then into the playoff.
"Obviously, I blew the golf tournament" said Lancaster. "I made one bad swing on 18. I think it was the third time I had chipped the ball in three days and I just hit a poor shot and had my only three-putt of the week. I just couldn't get a break when I needed one."
Rollins became the sixth golfer and first since Dudley Hart in 1996 to make the Canadian Open his first PGA Tour victory. Arnold Palmer is undoubtedly the most notable of this group of Canadian Open first-time winners, having accomplished the feat in 1955 at Weston Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
Pat Perez had the round of the day as he scorched Angus Glen for a nine-under-par 63 to set the new competitive course record.
Ian Leggatt finished as the top Canadian at Angus Glen, carding four birdies Sunday to finish tied for 16th place at 11-under. Fellow Canadian Glen Hnatiuk was the low Canadian on the day at six-under-par.
Leggatt and Hnatiuk were two of eight Canucks that made the cut at the 93rd Bell Canadian Open, the most to advance into the weekend in the past 31 years."
