Rookie Win for Todd
Hamilton at Honda Classic
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Todd Hamilton. Photo - Getty images
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After more than ten years on the Asian and Japan Tours,
Todd Hamilton earned his first PGA Tour card at last year's PGA Qualifying Tournament and
this weekend gained his first PGA Tour win at the Honda Classic. Hamilton started the
final day at 14 under par, 4 strokes clear of the field but by the time Brian Bateman
signed his score card for a 4 under par final round of 68, his -10 put him in the
clubhouse with a share of the lead. Hamilton had dropped four shots and was giving them
all a chance.
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| Davis Love III took advantage of the situation with a
birdie on the 17th to take outright lead at 11 under but could only manage a par on the
last and Hamilton had two holes left in which to make up the deficit. Despite things not
going his way earlier in the round, he kept his nerve and birdied the 17th as Love was
warming up for a playoff. When Hamilton's approach shot at the eighteenth landed within a
couple of feet of the flag it was clear that no playoff would be needed. |
Davis Love III. Photo - Getty Images
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Fredrik Jacobson. Photo - Getty Images
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Fredrick Jacobsen also birdied the 17th and couldn't
believe it when his birdie putt lipped out on the 18th leaving him with a one over par 73
and and 9 under total of 279 for the week. That gave him a share of fourth place with
Kevin Na, Woody Austin and Robert Allenby. The points Jacobson gained moved him up from
nineteenth to sixteenth place in the World Golf Rankings. |
| The only other top-20 world ranked player to move up this
week was Robert Allenby who went from twentieth to eighteenth. Hamilton's $900,000 prize
money moved him swiftly up the 2004 money list from #95 to #9. Todd Hamilton is featured
in this week's Player Profile. |
Robert Allenby. Photo - Getty Images
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