Heath Slocum wins the McGladrey Classic 2010
Heath Slocum won the McGladrey Classic at St. Simons Island on Sunday. Slocum reminisced and hit a shot that was really similar to the one that earned him his first professional victory nine years ago. At the Sea Island Club Seaside course, Heath was behind
the green of the par 16th hole as the American sank an amazing 60-foot putt on the 16th hole and went on to blast a two-under 68. This led him to take the title of the inaugural US PGA McGladrey Classic.
For his final shot, the American player aimed four cups outside right and swung the ball on the putting surface. He felt a mixture of ‘excitement and relief’ as the ball touched the flag stick and then sunk in for a birdie and hence earned Slocum his career’s
fourth PGA title. The last win that Heath had was at the 2009 Barclays. This player had a one shot victory over Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods.
On Sunday, Slocum had a two shot lead with the improbable birdie and was very close to making a bogey at the par-4 18th overall, Slocum ended at 14-under 266 and beat Bill Haas by one stroke to win the initial event hosted by Davis Love III. Heath
was born in Louisiana and grew up in Florida and right now is residing in Atlanta.
Bill Haas who, ended the McGladrey Classic at 66 and was the winner of last week’s Viking Classic, eagled the par-3 15th hole to make his way to another win. Unfortunately, pars on the last three holes didn’t give a birdie and hence dodged win
for Haas. "I hit a perfect drive there and had a perfect sand wedge distance, and I just pulled it," he said. "It was just a bad shot." Still, Haas moved up eight spots on the money list and took $432,000 home.
Robert Allenby, David Toms and India’s Arjun Atwal are all tied at 12 under due to slips during their performance. The Indian player carded five birdies before putting a bogey at the 18th hole. Allenby performed somewhat similarly when he posted
six birdies before taking a double-bogey at the last to mess up his win.
"I struggled with it all week," Allenby said about the tee shot at the 18th
hole. “That hole cost me four shots this week, just in two bad drives.”
David Toms, who is the 2001 PGA Championship winner, is looking for his first PGA title since 2006. He was leading the leader board at one point but he staggered when he bogeyed the 16 and 17th
hole and left Slocum two strokes ahead. David missed a 13-foot birdie putt at the sixteenth hole which would have hoisted him alone to the winner’s level. Unfortunately, he also missed a 3-footer and then a bogey at 17th hole really left him
out of the race to win the Classic.
Heath Slocum learned golf from his father and played on the same high school golf team as fellow Tour player Boo Weekley. Later, Heath attended the University of South Alabama. Slocum earned various amateur golf honours as a college student inclusive of
the three-time All-American. Heath turned professional in 1996 and started his career with the Nationwide Tour. Slocum was the second person to gain a ‘battlefield promotion’ to the PGA Tour by earning three nationwide events. He also made a record to complete
72 holes without a bogey. Slocum has won the Chrysler Classic of Tucson in 2004, Southern Farm Bureau Classic in 2005, The Barclays in 2009 and now the McGladrey Classic.
Heath gained $720,000 from this victory and is now in the top 30 of the money list. This win is even more significant since now, Heath will be playing in the Masters and the U.S Open in 2011.With the PGA tour season almost over, tournaments like the McGladrey
Classic allow players to keep their playing card for next season. Even though everyone tries their best, it’s the top 30 that will retain their Tour playing rights for 2011.
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