BATH, ON – SPORTS – With a two-putt birdie on the 72nd hole, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia’s David Bradshaw claimed his first PGA TOUR Canada win on Sunday, capturing The Great Waterway Classic at Loyalist Golf & Country Club.
Bradshaw, a 31-year old Shepherd University graduate, fired a final round 5-under 67 to post 21-under total, securing the win with a two-putt from 25 feet for birdie at the last. Bradshaw won by a shot over Argentina’s Tommy Cocha and Jupiter, Florida’s Adam Long.
“It was a good day. I started out so hot, and then things kind of got a little muddy in the middle, but I closed the deal and a win’s a win,” said Bradshaw, who was the medalist by eight shots at the British Columbia Qualifying Tournament earlier this May.
Bradshaw began the day by finishing up the third round, which was suspended due to darkness on Saturday, with birdies on each of his final two holes to share the 54-hole lead with Kitchener, Ontario’s Chris Hemmerich. He then birdied five of his first seven holes of the final round to jump out in front at 21-under ahead of Long and Cocha, playing one group ahead of Bradshaw, Hemmerich and Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic.
After Cocha and Long both made birdie at 18 to post the clubhouse lead at 20-under, Bradshaw split the fairway and found the green from 197 yards with a 6-iron, giving himself two putts for birdie and the win.
“In that situation, you’re going to hit the ball a lot further. I went with 6-iron and clubbed down and it worked out really well,” said Bradshaw of his final approach shot.
The win moves Bradshaw, who was making only his fourth start of the season, to ninth on the Order of Merit with three events to go in the 2014 season.
“It’s the biggest Tour that I’ve won on to date,” said Bradshaw, who owns seven West Virginia Open titles and has made four starts on the PGA TOUR and five starts on the Web.com Tour. “I kind of just took some time off golf, which I didn’t know how smart that was, and it turned out to be the greatest thing I’ve ever done. I had two months where I really struggled with my golf game. When I came here, I had played three times in the last three weeks, and for whatever reason it just clicked.”
Cocha and Long both recorded career best finishes on PGA TOUR Canada, while Gligic recorded his best finish since 2012 with a solo fourth place result. In a tie for fifth were Order of Merit No. 3 Brock Mackenzie, Brady Schnell, Michael Buttacavoli, Cory Renfrew and Hemmerich, who impressed in his professional debut.
GLIGIC CLAIMS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN HONOURS
With an 18-under total and solo fourth place result, Burlington, Ontario’s Michael Gligic claimed his first Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week award, along with a $1,500 prize.
Each week, Freedom 55 Financial honours the top Canadian on the leaderboard, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end claiming Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year and a $1,500 prize.
NEXT WEEK ON TOUR
PGA TOUR Canada heads to The Wildfire Invitational presented by PC Financial just outside of Peterborough, Ontario, a unique pro-am event consisting of 128 professionals and 64 amateurs. Three events remain on the 2014 schedule, with just two left to get inside the top 60 on the Order of Merit and retain exempt status for 2015 and get into the TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial.
Notes:
Weather: 26 degrees (31 degrees with Humidex). Sunny. Winds SW 7 km/h.
Cocha fell just short in his bid to become the first player to win on both PGA TOUR Canada and the NEC Series – PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.
The 54-hole leader or co-leader has gone on to win seven of nine times on PGA TOUR Canada this year, including this week.
Bradshaw (31 years, 3 months, 25 days) is the fourth consecutive winner in his 30s on PGA TOUR Canada.
Bradshaw is the third winner to shoot in the 60s all four rounds on PGA TOUR Canada this season.
Canadian Junior Boys Champion Austin James, a member at Loyalist, fired a final round 68 to finish tied for 49th.
