News >> Lavery Outduels Briscoe In Playoff

The 2010 Bentonville Open
Presented by Lindsey Management Group
Rogers, AR
 
Rogers, AR (June 13, 2010)…Former UC Irvine golfer Michael Lavery outlasted Ben Briscoe on the first playoff hole Sunday to capture his first career NGA Hooters Tour title at the 2010 Bentonville Open at Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club. (Pictured above from left to right, GM Lyle Leach, winner Michael Lavery and Tournament Director Jeff Harlow)
 
Lavery began the day trailing third round leader Chris Barron (Ashland, TN) by seven strokes after the former Anteater opened with rounds of 71-68-68 for a three day total of six-under par 207. Lavery’s round started of routinely on Sunday as he made pars on his first three holes before running off three birdies on holes 4-6 and another birdie on the par 5 ninth to turn at four-under par 32.
 
“I know I needed to get off to fast start today to even give myself a chance at getting my first win,” said the twenty-nine year old Lavery.
 
While the leaders ahead of him were coming back towards him, Lavery kept the pedal to the medal as he birdies number 10 to get to 11-under for the tournament. Another strong stretch with birdies on holes 14-16 pushed Lavery into the lead at 14-under par by himself before a bogey dropped him back a stroke but he was able to bounce back with another birdies at his 72nd hole for final round eight-under par 63 and a four day total of fourteen-under par 270. Then it was the waiting game for Lavery as he still had to wait for five groups to come in to see if his lead would stand.
 
“I hit the ball well all week keeping it in the fairway which is what you have to do on this course but today I was able to make the 6-12 footers that have eluded me all week and that was the difference.”
 
While Lavery was safely in the clubhouse with his fourteen-under par total 2008 Bentonville Open champion Ben Briscoe was on the course with a chance to take the title. Briscoe opened his final round with a birdie on his first hole to draw even with overnight leader Barron before dropping back to even on the day after a bogey on the 5th. The Wales native then bounced back with two birdies over his final three holes on the front nine to turn at 13-under par.
 
 Through 14 holes on Sunday Briscoe held the lead at 15-under after carding two more birdies over his first five holes on his inward nine but like Lavery before him Briscoe bogeyed the 17th hole and only managed a par on his final hole to force the playoff and send both players back the 18th tee.
 
Both players found the fairway with their drives. The flag was tucked back right on the final hole on Sunday with water guarding the right side of the green and both players played their shots to the front part of the green but Briscoe misjudged his approach and landed in the front greenside bunker while Lavery landed on the front fringe.
 
“I played the 111 yard shot to the front of the green and it died in the wind and landed on the fringe,” said Lavery. “So many people make the mistake of going for the flag and hitting it over the green and I knew how easy it was to do that so I played the safe shot.”
 
Briscoe blasted out of the bunker with his third shot to the back fringe and then Lavery settled his birdie approach up to about one foot for a sure par leaving Briscoe a chance to force extra holes but his putt for par landed just short giving Lavery his first career victory after three runner-up finishes in his seven years on the NGA Hooters Tour.
 
“Coming into the playoff I tried to keep the mindset that I had had all week and I was totally expecting to have to make birdie to win because that is usually how playoffs go, but Ben hit it in the bunker and I only needed the par for the win.”
 
With his victory Sunday, Lavery collects $30,000 and moves to seventh on the money list with $46,713 in earnings. More importantly, Lavery takes the early lead in “The Race For The Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open Exemption” which will be given to the NGA Hooters Tour member who accumulates the most money over the four events in June and July.
 
Briscoe collects $15,923 for his first runner-up of the season.
 
Luke Bakke of Little Rock lead all Arkansas players on Sunday after he carded a five-under par 66 to finish all alone in third place at thirteen-under par 271. Bakke collected $10,623 for his best finish so far in 2010. While Bakke finished third, a handful of players from Arkansas also had successful tournaments. The list of players included Jordan Payne (T-18), Dalton Owens (T-42), Patrick Sullivan (T-51), Todd Pinneo (T-51), Brett Taunton (76) and Addison White (77).
 
The NGA Hooters Tour heads to Miami, Oklahoma next week for the Buffalo Run Casino Classic at Peoria Ridge Golf Club. This will be the eighth straight year the NGA Hooters Tour has visited Peoria Ridge.
HOOTS: The NGA Hooters Tour would like to thank GM Lyle Leach, head professional Todd Pinneo and all of their staff for helping run a great event for the fourth straight year. The tour would also like to thank head superintendant Charles McCurdy and his staff for giving our players an immaculate course to play on each day.