-30 was the number for Bill Haas' first PGA Tour victory. An 18th hole birdie sealed the deal at the defenseless Bob Hope Classic. He joined his father Jay becoming a rare father-son duo to win the same event. Wide fairways, easy pins, and an apparent ban on rough made par a ridiculous suggestion for a field that really consisted of "B" level players. The top end of the field evidently can't be pushed into a five day event. That would cut their per diem earnings. Matt Kuchar, Tim Clark, and Bubba Watson finished in a tie for 2nd at -29. The top five completed the five rounds at a combined 145 under par. Watson and Clark had some questionable decisions down the stretch that aided Hass' cause. Watson laid up from 231 yds. on the par five 14th hole and Clark did the same on 18. In a tournament with seemingly more birdies than pars, those choices were at best unusual. Final Full Field Scores.
The Official World Golf Rankings made their typical Monday statement as usual, albeit with a caveat....."The delay to the finish of the Bob Hope Classic means that the full Official World Golf Ranking cannot be published yet, but we have been able to issue the new world top 25 as this cannot be affected by the Bob Hope result." That left a mark. True, the Hope has lost it's luster although I'll admit it was nice to watch Monday golf in the middle of a January torrential downpour here in the frozen North.
Kudos to young Haas. Maybe this is his springboard to greater accomplishments. To learn how to win you first have to win. Gee, that was profound.
Til' next,
You're right. There's nothing like knowing you've already done something to give you the confidence to do it again.
ReplyDeleteYes, but it does revisit that confusing chicken/egg thing.
ReplyDeleteI am really pleased he won & -30 wow incredible scoring. Knowing you have to shoot birdies in the final holes to win took a lot of guts.
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