NEWS
Matt Dobyns wins Event No. 2 of PGA Tournament Series, clinches Omega PGA Player of Year Award
By Craig Dolch
Published on
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