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Bob Sowards Finishes with Three Birdies to Win Event No. 5 in PGA Tournament Series
By Craig Dolch
Published on
Bob Sowards walked off the 15th green Friday and saw he was one shot behind leader Dylan Newman.
That meant one thing: It was go time.
That meant one thing: It was go time.
“I knew I needed to make at least one birdie,” Sowards said.
He instead made three closing birdies to catch Newman and win Event No. 5 of the PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club.
A 7-iron to 3 feet at No. 16. A lob wedge off the cart path to 9 feet at No. 17. And a pitching wedge from 130 yards to a foot at the closing hole.
Three birdies. Total feet of putts: 13. Another title for the 54-year-old Sowards, who estimates he has won about 25 championships at PGA Golf Club between the PGA Tournament Series and the PGA Winter Championships.
"I like these courses,” said Sowards, the PGA Director of Instruction at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio. “I’ve won a lot. I know how to win, and I felt like I would hit some good shots down the stretch.”
Sowards fired a 5-under 67 on the Dye Course to finish at 8-under 136. Newman (66) of New Rochelle, N.Y., birdied the par-5 17th to take the brief one-shot lead before settling for second place at 6-under 138.
Dylan Newman, PGA
Newman, who was the money leader in two of the last three PGA Tournament Series, knew he was fortunate to have a chance to win. He thought he lost his tee shot at the par-4 14th, but found the ball just in play, hit a 7-iron to 45 feet and slammed the putt off the pin into the cup.
“That was not supposed to be a birdie,” Newman said. “I had hit a provisional and never thought we’d find the ball. It was nice to play well. My right hand has been bothering me, so I took Event No. 4 off and I felt a lot better the last two days.”
Sowards’ late birdies made Newman’s unlikely birdie at No. 14 a moot point.
“You never get tired of your heroics,” Sowards said. “Finishing with three birdies to win is pretty cool.”
Tim Pearce (68) of Birmingham, Mich., finished third at 5-under 139. Pearce, who played Friday alongside Newman, lost a four-way playoff in Event No. 4.
“I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” Pearce said. "There’s just a few little things I wish I could take back. But that was fun battling Dylan.”
Until Sowards decided to steal the show. Again.
Vince Drahman (70) of Zionsville, Ind., saw his streak of consecutive playoff losses end at three. He tied for 16th at even-par 144
The PGA Tournament Series is presented by GOLF ADVISOR. Event No. 6, the final one, starts Monday on the Wanamaker Course.
