Matt Dobyns wins Event No. 2 of PGA Tournament Series, clinches Omega PGA Player of Year Award

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (Dec. 5) – Matt Dobyns clinched his first OMEGA PGA Professional Player of the Year Award in a fitting manner Friday – by winning Event No. 2 of the PGA Tournament Series.

 

Dobyns fought back from two early bogeys to shoot a 1-under 71 for a 9-under 135 on the Dye Course at PGA Golf Club in rainy, windy conditions. Dobyns birdied the par-3 16th and finished with two pars – he “lagged” a 3-foot birdie putt on the final hole – to leave him a shot ahead of fast-closing Derek Sanders of Destrehan, La.

 

“It’s never easy and I didn’t think it would be,” said Dobyns, the PGA Head Professional at Fresh Meadow Golf Club in Lake Success, N.Y. “The golf course was playing so differently, it took me a while to adjust. I knew it was going to be unlikely for someone to go low today.”

 

The victory put an exclamation mark on a season that included a victory in the PGA Professional Championship. The 37-year-old Dobyns came to South Florida for the PGA Tournament Series to protect his lead over four-time Player of the Year winner Bob Sowards and Alan Morin.

 

Mission accomplished after a fourth and a win.

 

“When I look back on my years of playing, this will be one of my best accomplishments,” Dobyns said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been player of the year in anything. To be recognized with as the best player among 28,000 PGA Professionals is something nobody can ever take away from me.”

 

Sanders started the day five shots behind, but charged into contention with a 31 on his back nine for a 67. His chance for a playoff ended when he missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

 

“I thought I hit a good putt there, but didn’t play enough break,” said Sanders, who caddies for Gene Sauers on the Champions Tour. “I got lucky with some good reads from other guys in the group, but nobody was on my line on the last hole. I never really got nervous until 18.”

 

Marshall Talkington (68) of Jackson, Tenn., finished third at 138. He tied for fourth in Event No. 1.

 

The PGA Tournament Series is sponsored by Golf Advisor.

 

Friday’s final-round scores from Event No. 2 of the PGA Tournament Series on the par-72 Dye Course at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie:

 

1. Matt Dobyns, Lake Success, N.Y. 64-71--135 $5,000.00

2. Derek Sanders, Destrehan, La. 69-67--136 $3,600.00

3. Marshall Talkington, Jackson, Tenn. 70-68--138 $2,300.00

T4. Daniel Urban, Howell, Mich. 71-68--139 $1,244.28

T4. Wyatt Worthington, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 69-70--139 $1,244.28

T4. Jim Troy, Portage, Mich. 69-70--139 $1,244.28

T4. Tim Weinhart, Johns Creek, Ga. 68-71--139 $1,244.28

T4. Brian Norman, The Colony, Texas 68-71--139 $1,244.28

T4. Benjamin Engle, Indianapolis, Ind. 65-74--139 $1,244.28

T4. Michael Meisenzahl, Medford, N.J. 67-72--139 $1,244.28

T11. Shawn Warren, Cape Elizabeth, Maine 73-68--141 $832.50

T11. Scott Berliner, Queensbury, N.Y. 71-70--141 $832.50

T11. Carl Cooper, Humble, Texas 69-72--141 $832.50

T11. Jeff Sorenson, Blaine, Minn. 69-72--141 $832.50

T15. Blake Brookman, Seaford, Va. 72-70--142 $636.11

T15. Micah Rudosky, Cortez, Colo. 72-70--142 $636.11

T15. Danny Lewis, Morrow, Ohio 72-70--142 $636.11

T15. Jeffrey Schmid, Columbia, Mo. 71-71--142 $636.11

T15. Lon Nielsen, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 71-71--142 $636.11

T15. Frank Bensel, Jupiter, Fla. 70-72--142 $636.11

T15. Yong Joo, Bristow, Va. 70-72--142 $636.11

T15. Anthony Aruta, Staten Island, N.Y. 68-74--142 $636.11

T15. Shaun Powers, Greenwich, Conn. 67-75--142 $636.11

T24. Frank Dully, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 72-71--143 $217.00

T24. Richard Terga, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 71-72--143 $217.00

T24. Joshua Rackley, Jupiter, Fla. 71-72--143 $217.00

T24. Adam Larkin, North Bellmore, N.Y. 70-73--143 $217.00

T24. Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio 68-75--143 $217.00

T29. Rich Berberian, Derry, N.H. 72-72--144

T29. Gregory McClimans, Clearwater, Fla. 72-72--144

T29. Adam Scrimenti, Pompano Beach, Fla. 71-73--144

T29. Dakun Chang, Long Grove, Ill. 71-73--144

T29. Rob Labritz, Pound Ridge, N.Y. 70-74--144

T29. Andrew Shiflet, Asheboro, N.C. 70-74--144

T35. Kent St. Charles, Mount Vernon, N.Y. 75-70--145

T35. Adam Kolloff, Hoboken, N.J. 73-72--145

T35. Troy Pare, Seekonk, Mass. 72-73--145

T35. Kyle Bilodeau, West Hartford, Conn. 72-73--145

T39. Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas 74-72--146

T39. Jim Schuman, Scottsdale, Ariz. 73-73--146

T39. Mike Larkin, Harrison, N.Y. 73-73--146

T39. Andrew Bostrom, North Caldwell, N.J. 73-73--146

T39. Corey McAlarney, Forest City, Pa. 72-74--146

T39. Eric Smith, Plano, Texas 72-74--146

T39. Shane Kowal, Woodstock, Ga. 70-76--146

T46. Mark Faulkner, Marion, Ill. 77-70--147

T46. John Lynch, Vero Beach, Fla. 75-72--147

T46. Mark Summerville, Jupiter, Fla. 74-73--147

T46. Ryan Kalista, Greenwich, Conn. 74-73--147

T46. Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y. 72-75--147

T46. Matthew Sheperd, Nantucket, Mass. 72-75--147

T46. Daniel Augustine, Castle Pines, Colo. 71-76--147

T53. Patrick Massi, Greenwich, Conn. 74-74--148

T53. Mike Vance, Jackson, Tenn. 72-76--148

T53. Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. 71-77--148

T56. Dwayne Randall, Clymer, N.Y. 72-77--149

T56. Scott Schulte, Harrison Township, Mich. 68-81--149

T58. Joshua Fritz, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 76-74--150

T58. Brett Melton, Washington, Ind. 73-77--150

T60. Gayle Leslie, Miami, Fla. 74-77--151

T60. Peter Kampmann, Riverside, Conn. 74-77--151

T60. Ari Papadopoulos, Avon, Colo. 74-77--151

T60. JC Anderson, O'Fallon, Mo. 73-78--151

T60. Matt Noel, Jupiter, Fla. 73-78--151

65. Kyle Higgins, Massapequa, N.Y. 79-73--152

T66. Micah Destival, Dike, Iowa 79-74--153

T66. Mike Furey, Summit Hill, Pa. 79-74--153

T66. Steve Parker, Houston, Texas 75-78--153

T66. James Giampaolo, Torrington, Conn. 74-79--153

T66. Austin Gaugert, Lake Geneva, Wis. 72-81--153

T66. Pete Catanzaro, Stamford, Conn. 71-82--153

T72. Matthew Belizze, Bay Shore, N.Y. 75-79--154

T72. John Connelly, Maumee, Ohio 73-81--154

T74. Richard Kelly, Oceanside, N.Y. 78-79--157

T74. Mike Demakos, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 77-80--157

T76. Tony Frabizzio, Fairfield, Conn. 85-75--160

T76. Brandon Myers, Danube, Minn. 81-79--160

T76. Ryan McClintock, Bettendorf, Iowa 78-82--160

79. Fred Blumenstock, Boonton, N.J. 84-77--161

80. Mark Braziller, Brooklyn, N.Y. 84-85--169

81. Michael Adkins, West Palm Beach, Fla. 87-83--170

82. G. Sean Schley, Blacklick, Ohio 89-87—176