Events

Ohio's Jake Scott Wins Event #5 in PGA Tournament Series, Clinches Money Title

By Craig Dolch
Published on

Jake Scott of Strongsville, Ohio, continued his dominant play Tuesday, shooting a 3-under 69 to win Event No. 5 of the PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club.
 
Scott outdueled Series stalwart Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, on the back nine of the Dye Course to claim his second Series victory this fall, finishing with a two-shot win at 7-under 137. Scott also has finished second, third and fifth in the Series.
 
“I know Bob fairly well because we’re both from Ohio, but this might be just the second time we have played together,” Scott said. “You know he’s not going to make many mistakes, so you have to stay on top of your game.
 
“This Tournament Series is a lot about momentum. You get going early, it puts you in a comfortable place. It takes the pressure off. The events are so close together, it lends itself to getting momentum.”
 
The $5,000 first prize clinched the money title for Scott, who has earned $16,632. Zac Oakley of Palm City, Florida, who won the last two Series events, is second with $10,737. Oakley tied for 13th Tuesday.
 
The 34-year-old Scott is no stranger to success at PGA Golf Club, having won the 2012 National Car Rental PGA Assistant Professional Championship. Scott played mini-tours prior to that and also played on the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Canada and the Forme Tour the last eight years.
 
Scott started the final round with a one-shot lead and extended it with three birdies on his first five holes. But when he bogeyed the eighth, Scott dropped into a tie with Sowards, who birdied the eighth while playing in the same foursome.
 
Scott regained the lead when Sowards bogeyed the par-3 14th and stretched his advantage to two shots when he birdied the 15th. But Scott said the key moment for him came at the par-5 10th hole.
 
“I hit the top of a fairway bunker (with his second shot), so I had 220 coming in,” Scott said. “I thought I hit a perfect 4-iron, but it trickled over the green and into a valley where I had a shot where I could either leave it at my feet or hit it over the green. I hit a perfect, nubbed sand wedge to a foot and that kept my momentum.”
 
Sowards (70) tied for second with Caleb Wilson of Moneta, Virginia, who shot the round of the tournament, an 8-under 64, to jump from 46th place. Wilson had eight birdies and no bogeys.
 
“That was a phenomenal round by Caleb,” said Scott, who works for Pinsettergolf.com.
 
David Lawrence (69-140) of Moline, Illinois, finished in fourth place, a shot ahead of four players: Rich Berberian (69-141) of Hookset, New Hampshire, Richard Denny (70) of Miamisburg, Ohio, Greg Koch (71) of Orlando and David Abolt (72) of Cuba, Missouri.
 
The PGA Tournament Series is Presented by GOLF ADVISOR.