Stewart rallies to defend PVAC Club title
Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/67359/
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.