Woodland earns first tour win, trip to Masters
PALM HARBOR, Fla. – Gary Woodland got a new addition to his trophy mantle as he closed with a 68 at the Transitions Championship for a total of 15-under par 269, good enough for a one-stroke win over Webb Simpson. It was only the second ever professional win for Woodland, the first coming at the 2008 High Plains Pro-Am, which paid a cool $17,500. This win provided a much cooler $990,000. And a whole lot more.Woodland won by reeling in a power game that is among the best on tour. His coach, Randy Smith, had informed him that the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook, host of the Transitions Championship, was one where conservative play was important. Amazingly, Woodland was able to heed Smith’s advice and throttle back his game enough to get the job done.
A birdie at 17 and par at 18 were key to the win.
“Seventeen was a 5-iron,” Woodland said. “I think we had 220 hole, and I was really struggling hitting the ball all day, and it was probably the best swing I made, right at it. I got up there, and it was just behind the hole 15, 20 feet, and the putt really never left. It was always in.
“Eighteen, I hit a perfect drive,” he added. “I wanted to hit 3-wood and my caddie talked me into 2-iron. Obviously I had a lot of adrenaline. I got up there and I had 148 in the middle of the fairway. Adrenaline got the best of me. I hit pitching wedge from 148 and it felt like it went forever. I had a putt down the hill and the thing just took off, it was so fast, and I got over it, a 12-, 14-footer, whatever it was, just up the hill and tried to hit it in the back of the hole, and fortunately it went in.”
Woodland had lost in a playoff at the Bob Hope Classic and had a pair of top-6 finishes –T5 in Phoenix and T6 in Palm Beach Gardens through his first six starts of the year. He worked overtime on his putting, with Smith and veteran tour player Brad Faxon both helping with drills.
Woodland had only one par on his back-nine, at 18, but birdies on four of the first five holes he played on the home nine provided the cushion he needed down the stretch.
Simpson had a chance to tie for the lead and force a playoff at the last, but he missed a par-save chance and carded bogey to finish alone in second-place.
“You know, all in all, my game was pretty sharp this week,” Simpson said. “I didn't make that many mistakes. You know, I putted great. I think inside ten feet we only missed maybe one or two all week, so I was extremely pleased to just give myself a chance (Sunday), and I felt great out there and comfortable.”
“Just one shot short is tough because you're here four days and you work so hard to get -- this opportunity comes not that often, so I'm a little disappointed, but I'm sure looking back I'll learn a lot from it and hopefully have many opportunities to win again.”
At 25-years-old, it is a safe bet that Simpson will have many more chances.
Scott Stallings, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, made the most of his opportunity and finished sole third at minus-12. Brandt Snedeker was another shot back and finished fourth.
The hopes of third-round leader Justin Rose turned into a nightmare as he carded four straight bogeys from the 7th through 10th holes. Oddly, he had put together a string of four straight birdies to end his round on Friday and followed with another four straight on his front-nine on Saturday. His bogey run ended with a birdie four at the par 5 12th. He ultimately had to settle for a tie for fifth with Marc Turnesa, Martin Laird, Roland Thatcher, Chris Couch and Brendon de Jonge.
Woodland not only won the event, but the perks that go along with it including a two-year exemption on tour, a trip to next month’s Masters Tournament and a start at the season-opening winners-only tournament in Kapalua, Maui next January.
You can follow me on Twitter @tomauclair
Return to Latest News archives