John Cook; Once again successful in defending the title at Charles Schwab Championship
John Cook stood on the winner’s podium in front of the cheering crowd to lift the trophy and a cheque of $442,000 on Sunday, 7th November, 2010 at Harding Park.
The event carrying a purse of $2,500,000 was staged in the city of San Francisco to mark the end of Champions tour 2010.
Cook successfully defended his title with 17 birdies and one eagle against two bogeys. He started the four-day session with 64 in the first round, but faltered in the next. However, four birdies in the third surged him up, once more and the 67 in the last round kept him vaulted on the top.
The 53-year-old gave a tough challenge to his compatriot, Michael Allen. The player broke the course lowest record of John Cook and drafted 61 in the third round to enter the final in lead. However, he could not keep up with the pace and momentum hence surrendered to the back nine of the course. He reeled three birdies in the final round to take the second place of the leader board.
Cook was pleased with his achievement and gave the credit of his motivation to his mentor, Ken Venturi. The legend taught him golf in his early days on the same course and on Saturday morning, he rang Cook to wish luck.
Disclosing the secret behind his victory Cook said, “One of the great achievements. His voice was in my head all day long and for some reason it just clicked in. So I had a little extra in there. I'm very happy and proud that I could, you know, be a part of his legacy here."
Cook fired a score of 4-under-67 in unremitting light rain after strong downpours halted the game for half an hour. Despite a break in his momentum, the American veteran holed a 15-foot par putt on the 18th and claimed his fifth career title. Although, Cook started the round one shot behind Allen, but birdied two of his opening holes to take a lead. He wrapped the evening at 17-under-par and marked the year-end with a victory in his name.
Commenting on his victorious season, Cook said, “If I'd have gone through this year with a win it would have been disappointing to say the least. People remember who your champions are and it's about winning out here."
The champion declared his first Champions tour victory last year at Sonoma Country Club. He won it with the help of five-stroke edge on Michael Allen. He repeated the same story on Sunday and pushed the competitor below with two strokes. However, he praised Allen’s game in front of the press and accepted that the player gave him a tough challenge all the while.
Meanwhile, Allen was not pleased with his game that failed against the rainy and windy conditions. He struggled with his driver as his tee shots faltered due to strong winds. The 2009 Senior PGA Championship winner ultimately surrendered to the deciding factors. Commenting on his game, Allen said that he had the blade rolling, but he faced many hurdles on the front nine, which made it difficult for him to fire at all cylinders.
Allen bogeyed 4th and 6th,, but birdied two of the next four holes to take a temporary spot in the lead. Cook instantly cut Allen’s lead short by firing a 10-feet birdie, followed by another on the 16th.
The weekend ended with John Cook in the lead and Michael Allen in the runner-up spot. The purse of $2.5 million was divided in a field of thirty players, who entered the tournament based on money rankings. The top thirty players of Champion money rankings including Bernhard Langer entered the championship and concluded the 2010 Champions Tour.
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