WHEN YOU’RE 47 AND haven’t won in eight years on the PGA Tour, you must wonder if you’ll ever have another chance. In fact, for Rocco Mediate, who won the Frys.com Open on Sunday for his sixth tour title, the challenge has been even more basic. Rocco has been trying to piece together enough good golf to regain his tour playing privileges.
Until Rocco got his improbable win in California, he had only collected about $140,000 in 24 events this season. His prospects were not looking good. But one week like the one in San Martin can turn everything around.
Rocco had a hole out on each day of the tournament. On Thursday, he made a hole-in-one on the par-3 3rd hole. On Friday, he holed out from 160 yards on the par-4 4th hole. On Saturday, he holed out from 111 yards on the par-5 15th hole. And on Sunday, after struggling early in the round and then dropping a birdie putt on 16, he holed out from 116 yards on the 17th.
“I had a perfect number,” Rocco said. “And when I hit it, I went: ‘Oh, that’s got to be good, that would be nice.’ And when it went in, I thought: ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’”
Four hole outs for four eagles. And he won by a stroke.
I didn’t see any of it, but I’m happy for Rocco. It’s been a bumpy road for him since nearly beating Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open.
“I have a job again,” he said.
−The Armchair Golfer
Four Hole Outs Spur Win for Rocco Mediate
Tom Pernice Jr. Refuses to Act His Age
THE FALL IS WHEN the leaves turn and PGA Tour players (and wannabes) scramble to get in the top 125 on the official money list to secure their card for the coming season.
Tom Pernice Jr. is one of those lads. Only Pernice is no lad. He’s a fossil, age 51. At a time when most players his age would see dollars signs flashing in neon on the Champions Tour, Pernice is intent on playing with the flat bellies a while longer.
“I still think I can compete against the best in the world,” Pernice told Golfweek.
The 28-year veteran missed earning back his PGA Tour card at the 2009 Q School by a single shot. And get this: Pernice took a double on the last hole. That is nightmare material.
In the 2010 season, he’s played 20 events on the PGA Tour, earning $573,551, and eight events on the Champions Tour, banking $798,410. Add them together and it’s a very good year. But Tom needs more of the PGA Tour bucks. He currently sits at 138th on the PGA Tour money list, so he has work to do to get his card.
This week Pernice is in the field at the Frys.com Open in San Martin, California, which has a purse of $5 million. This week’s Champions Tour event, the Administaff Small Business Classic in The Woodlands, Texas, has a $1.7 million payout. That’s a big difference. But it’s not about the money for Tom. He’s still determined to tee it up with the young guys.
“When I feel it’s time, then I’ll go,” he said. “As of now, I’m not ready to go yet.”
OK then.
−The Armchair Golfer
