Stiles wins in New Zealand
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - Despite having two days of play rained out at this
week’s $650,000 HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship, tournament organizers
and fans finally got their money’s worth on Sunday. Glorious skies greeted
the Nationwide Tour at the rain-shortened 36-hole event, with Darron Stiles
the last man standing.
Stiles, who began the day tied with David Hearn (77) and Matt Bettencourt
(75), got off to a sensational start with birdies on five of the first six
holes (Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 & 6) - building up a lead of four strokes at one
point. Despite a bogey on the par-3 ninth hole, Stiles managed a 4-under 68
on Sunday to step into the winner’s circle for the first time since the
2006 Rheem Classic.
“Something you would say is that you want to win the first event of the
year,” said Stiles, a 34-year-old native of St. Petersburg, FL. “But to
come out and win the third event or to win any time of the year is
fantastic. From now on I’ll have that much more confidence the rest of the
season.”
The former golf standout and 1995 graduate of Florida Southern College had
to withstand a furious rally from local favorite David Smail – who posted
the round of the day at the par-72 Clearwater Golf Club with a 66.
“I had to be aggressive today and I was pretty close to every stick,” said
Smail, a 37-year-old native of Hamilton, New Zealand. “I made my first
birdie on the par-3 (No. 4) and then the floodgates opened. Nine-under was
actually the score I was thinking of in order to have a chance to win
today.”
Stiles, whose victory comes in his 182nd career Nationwide Tour event,
ultimately held Smail at bay by playing the final nine holes in a steady
fashion with nine consecutive pars. The final par was a nail-biter, as his
initial 40-foot birdie putt came up seven feet short. He calmly knocked in
the putt, however, to become just the third American to win the Nationwide
Tour’s annual stop in New Zealand.
“I never make things easy,” said Stiles. “It was a pressure putt. To make
that putt when that’s been the area and length that I’ve been struggling
with is awesome.”
The victory was worth $117,000 (U.S.) for Stiles. While the earnings are
official, the fact that the victory goes down as an unofficial win was of
little concern to Stiles.
“Everything on this Tour is based on the money list,” said Stiles, who has
now notched five career wins on Tour (four official, one unofficial). “So
even though the win is unofficial, the money I won today will go a long way
toward finishing first on the money list at the end of the year.”
Stiles is hoping the victory will lead him back to the PGA TOUR, where he
last lost his card in 2007 with a 192nd place finish on the money list.
“This Tour is still a proving ground,” said Stiles. “I needed to come here
and regroup in my head and find out what I have to do to get back to the
PGA TOUR. That is what this Tour does so well. It gives you a great place
to play. The competition is just as tough out here, if not tougher, than it
is on the PGA TOUR.”
Heavy downpours on Friday and Saturday at the par-72 Clearwater Golf Club
led to the cancellation of play both days, leading to the first 36-hole
event on the Nationwide Tour since the 2001 Ozarks Open.
Final Round News & Notes: The 36-hole cut was finally made at the
completion of play on Sunday, with 64 players at 1-under 143 or better
receiving paychecks … The only players in Tour history with more wins than
Darron Stiles are six-time winners Sean Murphy, Matt Gogel and Jason Gore …
Darron Stiles stood at 2-over on his round and 4-under for the event on
Saturday morning when inclement weather forced the cancellation of play.
Tournament Officials then made the decision to wipe out the scores for the
51 players who began the abbreviated round, moving Stiles back to 6-under
for the start of play on Sunday … Runner-up David Smail was making his
first start at a PGA TOUR of Australasia event since the 2007 Australian
Open in December. His previous best finish on the Nationwide Tour were T10
efforts at the 2005 Jacob’s Creek Open and the 2006 HSBC New Zealand PGA
Championship … 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell, who began the day
at 2-under, recorded a 4-over 77 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 98th
place. Campbell’s participation this week made him the 11th player to play
in a Nationwide Tour event after winning a Major Championship … 2008 Panama
Movistar Championship winner Scott Dunlap and 2008 Mexico Open champion
Jarrod Lyle both finished in 15th place … The Nationwide Tour heads to
Australia this week for the inaugural $750,000 Moonah Classic, another
co-sanctioned event with the PGA TOUR of Australasia. It marks the fourth
of 30 official events on the 2008 schedule.
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