Jeff Corr finishes 2nd in BWS; Roberto Diaz takes 2nd in CWS-
Lake Mary, Fla. - February 2, 2012 - Most road trips with college buddies tend to end with vague memories and depleted bank accounts. But for a group of former Louisiana State University golfers, the opposite is true.
For the second week in a row, a caravan of Tigers descended on the NGA Pro Golf Tour Bridgestone Winter Series and one emerged the victor. Last week it was Ken Looper, this week it was two-time All-American Andrew Loupe’s turn.
Loupe of Baton Rouge, La., finished with a 19-under 197 total at Timacuan Golf Club to claim his first professional victory by three shots over 2011 NGA Player of the Year Jeff Corr.
“It’s fun coming down here with those guys,” said Loupe. “Last week, there were six of us. We had six this week, but Brent [Blaum] hurt his back. We’re all friends and made the trip together in a couple of cars. We’re going to enjoy for a short while and get back to work.”
Loupe might not have too much to work on, considering he opened with a tournament-low 63 and finished with back-to-back rounds of 67 on the 7,025 layout en route to victory.
“This week was the straightest I’ve hit it off the tee in a long time,” said Loupe, who earned $13,595. “I hit my irons well and made a few putts, especially in the first round. But, overall, my ball striking was probably the best part of my game this week.”
His tenacity was a close second.
Although he was 14-under par after 36 holes, Loupe’s lead was trimmed to one when Hudson Swafford, who started the day solo second at 12-under par, birdied the opening hole of the final round.
“There were a lot of great players in the field this week,” said Loupe. “I knew I had to stay on the gas pedal or they would come get me.”
Loupe answered back with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 to push his lead over Swafford to three strokes. Swafford of Tallahassee, who has full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour for 2012, trimmed the margin to two strokes with a birdie on No. 7, but a double bogey No. 9 dropped the former Georgia Bulldog from contention. But even without Swafford in the fray, Loupe couldn’t relax as Corr’s name moved up the leaderboard with every passing hole.
Playing a few groups ahead of the leaders, Corr of Longwood carded a Thursday-low 64 in the final round and headed to the clubhouse with a 16-under 200 total. But Loupe responded with three birdies over his last four holes to pull away for the win.
“I thought I did a pretty good job of not wavering,” said Loupe. “I had a few good finishes last year, but I was playing from behind. Being out front and sleeping on it, there’s some anxiety that goes along with that. It definitely helps your confidence when you’re able to hit some shots under pressure.”
Loupe’s win was his third top-five finish in 11 career starts on the NGA Tour and should give the touring Tigers plenty of gas money for the rest of the season.
Corr, who has conditional status on the Nationwide Tour in 2012, finished solo second with rounds of 67-69-64 to earn $6,702. Corr has two runner-up finishes and a T4 effort in his last three starts on the Bridgestone Winter Series.
Swafford finished third with rounds of 66-66-69 for a 15-under 201 total. The former Bulldog pocketed $5,569 for his podium finish. Christopher Ross (Ontario, Canada) finished fourth at 14-under par, while last week’s winner Looper (Mandeville, La.) finished fifth at 13 under.
Tyler Riley, who shot a Wednesday-low 64, finished at 12-under par and tied for sixth with Lakeland golfers Brian Richey and Danny Evelyn.
Paul Curry (Longwood), Daniel Stone (St. Petersburg) and former Nicklaus Award winner Matt Hill (Palm Beach) finished T9 at 11-under par.
For full-field results, click here.
The Bridgestone Winter Series will return to action on Feb. 6 at Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando, Fla.
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Coastal Carolina alum bounces back to win at Barefoot Resort-
North Myrtle Beach, S.C. - February 2, 2012 - After missing back-to-back cuts for the first time in his career, Zack Byrd of Murrells Inlet returned to form this week in the NGA Pro Golf Tour’s Carolina Winter Series.
Byrd, a 2011 U.S. Open participant and 2012 Nationwide Tour member, started the final round one shot behind fellow Nationwide Tour member Darron Stiles, but the Grand Strand resident fired a 3-under 69 on the Dye Course at Barefoot Resort on Thursday to come from behind and win by one shot over a hard-charging Roberto Diaz.
“Coming off two missed cuts, this is by far my most gratifying win as a professional, especially with the strength of the field,” said Byrd, who earned $4,865. “Last week, I only missed six greens in 36 holes and shot 3-over par. I went to work immediately with the help of my good friend and fellow competitor, Mark Silvers. He showed me that my alignment with my shoulders was open. I worked hard over the weekend to make the adjustment and it paid off.”
The improvement showed up early and often this week as Byrd opened with a 6-under 66 to take the first-round lead. However, the Coastal Carolina University alumnus shot an even-par 72 in the second round to fall into a tie for second with Silvers going into the final round.
Byrd responded with four birdies over his first 11 holes to pull away from Silver and Stiles, who shot 73 and 74, respectively, in the final round, but his focus soon turned to Diaz.
Diaz of Myrtle Beach, the 2010 Mexico PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, started the day T13 and made little progress on the outward nine, shooting a 2-under 34. But the former USC-Aiken golfer caught fire on the inward nine, carding six birdies en route to a tournament-low 64. With the 8-under round, Diaz headed to the clubhouse trailing Byrd by one shot.
While there were some tense moments, Byrd didn’t falter down the stretch, recording pars on the final three holes to win his sixth Carolina Series tournament.
“On 17, I tried to make an easy swing and hooked it left, but I made a great up and down for par to maintain a one-shot lead,” said Byrd, who finished with a 9-under 207 total. “So when faced with my second shot on 18, I was not about to hit anything easy with the water just six paces left of the hole. I hammered an 8 iron to the right side of the green, let the wind take it to the hole and two putted from 25 feet. The win does a lot for my confidence. I’m looking forward to the remaining Carolina Series events and the rest of the season.”
With his late-round heroics, Diaz finished solo second and earned $2,400. Martin Jeppesen of Ypsilanti, Mich., carded a 2-under 70 in the final round and finished third at 7-under par, earning $1.900.
T.J. Howe (Osceloa, Pa.) finished fourth at 6-under par, while Stiles (Pinehurst, N.C.), Silvers (Savannah, Ga.) and Cameron Yancey (Blackstone, Va.) finished T5 at 5-under par.
Ben Duncan (Greenville, S.C.) and Jared Wolfe (Louisville, Ky.) ended the three-round event 2-under par and tied for eighth. Yoshio Yamamoto (Guadalajara, Mexico) and Joey McLister (Palm Beach, Fla.) finished T10 at 1-under par.
For full-field results, click here.
The Carolina Winter Series will return to action Feb. 7 at the Love Course at Barefoot Resort in North Myrtle Beach.
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