Stewart rallies to defend PVAC Club title
Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008
Drew Stewart got defensive on the final day of the Paradise Valley Athletic Club Championship Sunday.
Stewart entered the final round three-strokes behind leader Chris Collins. Stewart shot a 74 on Saturday but mustered a 1-over 72 Sunday for a 146 to successfully defend his PVAC title.
Bill Kelsay's Saturday 73 was followed up by a 75 on Sunday. Kelsay settled for second place, two strokes behind Stewart with a twoday tally of 148.
"I just wanted to stay steady and keep my bad holes to bogies and not doubles and try to make good on all my birdie opportunities," Stewart said. "I just started to hit it well after my first bogey and got to two under and stayed out of trouble."
Stewart's first bogey transpired on the 419-yard, par 4 No. 3 following consecutive pars to begin the final round. Stewart rallied for back-to-back birdies on the 448-yard, par-5 No. 4 and the course's longest task, the 572-yard, par-5 No. 5.
Two straight pars preceded Stewart's third birdie on the 446-yard, par-4 No. 8. A par on No. 9 left Stewart at 2-under heading into the back nine.
Stewart promptly bogeyed the 436-yard, par-4 No. 10. He recovered with a birdie on the 394-yard, par-4 No. 11 only to lose the stroke with another bogey on the 441-yard, par-4 No. 12.
Stewart pared No. 13 but suffered another hiccup with a bogey on the 393-yard, par-4 No. 14. Stewart maintained with backto-back pars on the 411-yard, par-4 No. 15 and the 233-yard, par-3 No. 16 but dropped another stroke with a bogey on the 512-yard, par-5 No. 17. A par, though, on the 409-yard, par-4 No. 18 gave Stewart a two-stroke cushion over the field.
"I think the key was the two birdies on 4 and 5, especially after I bogeyed 3," Stewart said. "That's when I started to hit it consistently well and managed to come away with it."
In Super Senior Flight action, Othel Sharp improved on his Saturday 74 with a 1-under 70 on Sunday to win by seven strokes.
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