If I've said it once, I've said it a billion times. Tiger Woods has skewed our take on golf tournaments. It isn't that easy to win. It just isn't.Jerry Kelly would agree with me. He's 42, and won twice on tour in 2002. Since then, he's finished second four times, which is pretty darn impressive from the quintessential PGA Tour journeyman, but he couldn't break through. Sunday in New Orleans, Kelly claimed his first win in seven years, taking the Zurich Classic over a group of golfers either trying to break their own winning slump or trying to claim their first PGA Tour title.
Charles Howell III was the real challenger, birdying six of his first 11 holes in the final round to get himself into contention, but as his career has gone, struggled to close his round and missed out on his first win in two years by a shot. Along with Howell at 13-under was Charlie Wi (no PGA Tour wins), and Rory Sabbatini (last win was in 2007).
For Kelly, the win was far from easy. A Friday round of 66 put Kelly ahead of the pack, but when you see your name on the top of that leaderboard come Sunday morning, strange things can happen to your golf game. Kelly made bogeys on eight and ten only to come back with a couple of birdies and then reel off four straight pars to close with a 71 while others were falling back.
The shot of the day might have come from Steve Marino, who had a chance to claim his first PGA Tour victory until a bogey on the par-5 18th. Marino tried to drive the shot par-4 16th, only to have his tee ball go long. His pitch shot to a short pin took a couple of hops and smacked the flag stick, nestling at the bottom of the cup for the eagle.
Kelly won the tournament with his precise iron play, that had him at the top of the field in greens in regulation. Kelly now has two more years to waste away on the PGA Tour with his victory. It was exactly the 200th event since he last held up a trophy.
