2007: Sullivan celebrates recovery with emotional win
By T.J. Auclair, PGA.com Interactive Producer
SUNRIVER, Ore. -- It was a fairytale ending to a tumultuous seven months for Chip Sullivan.
After being diagnosed with hemochromatosis and developing a severe case of diabetes in December, the 42-year-old PGA Head Professional from Ashley Plantation in Daleville, Va., wasn't sure he'd ever be able to play competitive golf again. Think again.
On Sunday, he hoisted the Walter Hagen Cup as the winner of the 40th PGA Professional National Championship at the Sunriver Resort and was greeted by emotional embraces from wife Kari, daughters Kalley and Camryn, and son, Colby, after the final putt dropped.
"When I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis and diabetes I was just totally, 100 percent focused on that and just trying to get myself healthy," said Sullivan, who shot a 2-under-par 70 in the final round for a 6-under-par 281 total to overcome a one-shot deficit at the start of the day to defeat Ryan Benzel and 2005 champ Mike Small by four shots.
"I didn't touch a club for over three months. I didn't feel like it," he said. "Health-wise, I wasn't up to hitting balls or anything. This spring has been absolutely horrible -- horrible year for me as far as playing. I've just been struggling and this is the first shining moment here.
"I started hitting the ball well right before I got here and played a couple of nine-hole rounds with the members and played well and started building confidence," he added. "I would have never expected this seven months ago."
Benzel, a PGA Assistant Professional from Seattle Golf Club who gained his PGA membership one year ago, entered the final round with a one-shot lead over Sullivan and Sullivan's fellow Virgina professional John O'Leary. Sullivan squashed that lead quickly with birdies on the first two holes to grab a share of the lead that he would never relinquish.
After a curling, downhill birdie putt dropped in at the ninth hole for an outward 4-under-par 32, Sullivan made the turn sporting a healthy three-shot lead. At times, it looked as though he was playing a different, far easier course than the rest of the field as cold temperatures in the 40s and blustery wind swept through the Crosswater Course, which yielded just six sub-par rounds on Sunday.
That's not to say the remainder of the day was any bargain for Sullivan, as one of his other challengers was two-time national champion Tim Thelen, the PGA Director of Instruction at Traditions Golf Club at Texas A&M University. Thelen had it to 2 under through 12 holes, but bogeyed four of his last six holes -- including the final three in succession -- to finish at 2-over-par 286 and in a tie for fourth place with California's Butch Sheehan.
"Sullivan was absolutely tremendous today," Thelen said. "He's got to be just hitting the ball right in the middle of the clubface every time. If you hit it perfect every time, the wind's not going to affect it as much. I struggled pretty much all week with my swing and it kind of showed coming in. I hit some good shots actually, but just didn't get rewarded for them."
Small, the head men's golf coach at the University of Illinois and one of just two PGA Professionals who earned a spot in the U.S. Open at Oakmont a week ago, shot a 1-over-par 73 in the final round to tie for second with Benzel. In four trips to the PGA Professional National Championship, Small has yet to finish worse than fourth.
"It was tough because for someone who's not used to the altitude -- we were talking about this today -- when you get the wind so strong like this and then you've got to factor in the altitude, too, which is different on every shot, it's tough," Small said. "We're so used to a 165-yard shot being a 7-iron. Here it's 178 yards or something. It was tough to make some birdies."
"That just cost me a lot of money," Small joked.
"Gosh, I know I had 177 to the hole. With that wind howling down so hard, I hit 9-iron thinking, 'I'm just playing it to 154. I think 9-iron will fly 154 downwind and then it will release toward the back, '" Benzel said. "I hit a great shot, right where I wanted. I knew it took a good hop toward the flag.
"I thought it trickled in close and then everybody went nuts. From there I couldn't see it go in," he added. "It was one of the few shots today that actually went where I wanted it to. It was pretty brutal out there."
So how about taking some money from Small?
"That's going to be nice," said the 28-year-old Benzel with an ear-to-ear grin. "I'm sure my wife and I will take a vacation at some point, but I don't know when it'll be because I'm going to be at work tomorrow."
Along with the Walter Hagen Cup, Sullivan also received a winner's check worth $75,000, a spot on the PGA Cup team, a berth in the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in August (awarded to the top 20 finishers in the PGA Professional National Championship), six PGA TOUR exemptions over a 12-month period and a Rolex watch to ensure he's not late for any of those tee times.
"Chip is a great story. He's a true PGA Professional, he's a great family man, he's inspirational, he's a true champion," said PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb. "I just don't know how we could do any better than that. The people in the Mid-Atlantic Section are as happy as they can be for Chip Sullivan."
Sullivan is no stranger to winning. Prior to the greatest win of his career since turning professional in 1987, the humble, soft-spoken champion had already racked up 80 wins in PGA-sanctioned events. But this, of course, was the sweetest. Especially considering the health issues he's had to endure.
"Chip's spirit was pretty much defeated at Christmas time. He was afraid that he wasn't ever going to get his game back," his wife, Kari, said. "He was afraid that he'd never be able to compete again and that's pretty much what defines his spirit and the essence of him.
"He was hoping to come out here and at the best finish in the top 20 so he could try and compete in the PGA Championship again. For him to win, it just shows him this was meant to be. He can beat anything," she added. "Today was very emotional, but at the very end it just felt like it was his time."
"It goes to show you what perseverance and a positive attitude can do," Whitcomb said. "I listened to Chip talk a few minutes ago and it inspired me. His attitude is to face it head-on, take care of his illness and handle it properly. At the same time, he's going to carry on his normal activities in his life. It's pretty impressive. His story is going to inspire a lot of people."
Sullivan, playing in his 10th PGA Professional National Championship, admitted that he was surprised he was able to pull away from the elite field in final round. He bogeyed his final two holes, which didn't matter in the end.
"I was surprised. I made some good putts and I guess that was the difference," Sullivan said. "I hit some good shots, but I made some 15- 20-footers that separated me and gave me a little cushion. But it's a great feeling. I knew when I teed it up that I had Mike Small and Tim Thelen -- two former champs. Mike Small has won on the Nationwide Tour. They're both very good players and with them breathing down your neck, I figured I had to be in the 60s today to have any chance of winning."
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