Golf Update: David Mathis wins the Winn-Dixie Open
David Mathis won the Winn-Dixie Open at TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley Course yesterday. The North Carolina Native posted a 1-under-69 to secure a one stroke win over Won Joon Lee, Jeff Curl and Kyle Reifers. The Winn-Dixie Open organized by Planters was an
inaugural event in Nationwide Tour with Jim Furyk as the player host.
The star of the show, David Mathis, said that he loves it and he’s thankful to win again. The last time Mathis was victorious was in his 2008 BMW Charity Pro-am. The winner initiated the day following the third round leader Jon Mills. Mathis was three strokes
behind Mills when he started playing the final round. However, the tables turned for both the players as Mills ended at a 4-over-74 and Mathis comfortably made his way to the lead. At one point and time, David was three strokes ahead of Jon, but things changed
as he shot a bogey in the fourteenth hole. On the sixteenth hole as he doubled the par, Mathis allowed many players to challenge him to victory.
"I was actually very comfortable on the front nine but that is because I was chasing,"
said Mathis. "I was happy to have that 150-yard walk from the 16th green to the 17th tee box. I beat myself up pretty good, but refocused for the last two holes."
David hit all 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation on Sunday. He succeeded in achieving par for the last two holes and reach 8-under. Leaving way for other players, Mathis waited as Curl, Reifers and Rob Oppenheim weren't successful in achieving
a birdie. Mathis said that he is lucky to win by a shot due to the double he made on the sixteenth hole. Not being over modest, he said he had figured it out that that he had won and just needed to finish it off. He did agree that his competitors were worthy
of winning the tournament but it was his score that was good enough.
Mathis, who is a business graduate from Campbell University, moved from number 35 to number 12 on the official money list. Not only did David earn $108,000, but also he has made his way to participate in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at
Daniel Island.
His victory has also propelled him so high in the list that David now has the 2011 PGA Tour playing card. This will be the second go-around on Tour since last year he finished on number 160 on the money list with 12 made cuts in 27 starts. Mathis said that
God has given him a chance to make a living out there. However, he made it clear that money and golf isn’t everything to him. He said golf doesn’t define him as a person and even though he plays it for a living, it isn’t who he is.
Along with Mathis, the day seemed to work well for many of his closest competitors. Seven of the top ten players on the final leader board will tee off at the final event. Along with Mathis, these players include Won Joon Lee, Geoffrey Sisk, Jon Mills,Tag
Ridings, and Oppenheim.
The Nationwide Tour money leader Jamie Lovemark finished at number 59 but has still occupied the top spot with $421,784.The next player on the list is Chris Kirk who withdrew earlier this week because of a wrist injury. Won Jon Lee had a fourth place finish
at the Miccosukee Championship last week and was a runner up this week. The Winn-Dixie tournament definitely brought some good news to the player.
This event provides an opportunity for people to see the upcoming stars of the PGA Tour. Not only does it provide for a preview, but also helps out the charities in Jacksonville Area. More specifically, the proceeds will benefit the Winn-Dixie Foundation
through the PepsiCo Tickets Fore Charity program. Overall, the Winn-Dixie tournament was a good platform for all the players. Now everyone is waiting for the Nationwide Tour Championship that will start on October 28th at Daniel Island.
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