Kuchar wins Turning Stone Resort Championship in six-hole playoff
By
By ANDREW DONOVAN
Story Created:
Oct 5, 2009 at 10:05 AM EST
Story Updated:
Oct 5, 2009 at 5:44 PM EST
VERNON, N.Y. (WKTV) - Matt Kuchar has won the 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship, beating Vaughn Taylor in a six-hole playoff that extended the championship to Monday.
Kuchar and Vaughn remained tied following Sunday's final round and the first two playoff holes before darkness suspended play. It was the second career victory for Kuchar, who won the 2002 Honda Classic. His best previous finish in 2009 was a fifth-place tie at the Memorial in June.
This was the longest playoff on the PGA Tour since 1986 when Greg Norman defeated Larry Mize in six holes at the Kemper Open. The Tour record is 11 holes set at the Motor City Open in 1949, which finally ended when the players decided to call it a tie and split the winnings.
Kuchar is the third winner of the Turning Stone Resort Championship, with Steve Flesch in 2007 and Dustin Johnson in 2008. Kuchar improves to 2-0 in the PGA playoffs and is now over $2 million in total earnings. Monday, his victory at Atunyote won him $1.08 million, the highest prize in the PGA Tour's Fall Series.
Dark and rainy skies returned for Monday's playoff after beautiful weather came out for the weekend. The only thing that has seemed to plague this tournament in recent memory is the weather.
In an interview with NEWSChannel 2 following Monday's playoff, Oneida Indian Nation CEO Ray Halbritter said, "We've negotiated thousands of deals and a deal is as simple as the parties involved in the agreement. We have an excellent relationship with the PGA."
Halbritter said he has spoken with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and members of his staff on a "number of occasions" regarding moving the date to an early month. Hallbritter said he is optomistic they can improve the date in the near future.
A steady crowd of about 200 people followed the Kuchar and Vaughn as they played the four holes Monday. "We get great fans, look at that crowd our there today," Halbritter said for his reasoning in working to improve the date.
Kuchar thanked the grounds crew at the Atunyote Golf Club because of how hard it was to keep the course playable through the weather all week.
This tournament was the first time the PGA Tour has gone to a "lift, clean and place through the greens" method since 2005. This allows players to clean their ball and improve their lie anywhere on the course, as long as you were not in a hazard.
Click the video link to watch reaction from both players on the fantastic finish.
