Page 34 - SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN PROGRAM 2017

News | 2016 CHAMPION ROD PAMPLING

A trip to Las Vegas is always a gamble

but anyone can be a winner here, just ask

Rod Pampling.

he 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open winner
ranked 451st in the world prior to entering the
Ttournament. Pampling had not won a tournament
on the PGA TOUR in over 10 years, his last win coming at
Arnold Palmer’s event at the Bay Hill Invitational in 2006.
His win in Las Vegas was his 3rd win in over 300 PGA
TOUR starts and officially makes him the oldest TOUR
winner from his home country of Australia. Winning the
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open has certainly launched
the resurgence of a career for this 47-year-old Aussie. In
addition to being named champion of the event, Pampling
took home the $1.18 million-dollar purse, a two-year PGA
TOUR exemption through 2019, and entrance into two major
championships, the 2017 Masters and PGA Championship.

Pampling opened the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
with a low round of 60 on Thursday, shooting an -11 to start
the week off on a good note. He followed his next two rounds
with a 68 and 71 to put himself in a competitive position for
the win, tied with Brooks Koepka at -14 and one back from
Lucas Glover who sat at -15. “I knew I was putting good,” said
Pampling in an interview after the second round. “I just threw
out a new vibe and it started to work.”

Sunday was never going to be a walk in the park for Pampling
but he started the final round with four birdies through nine
holes and seemed to be going in the right direction. Things
were looking positive for the veteran player until he bogeyed
the 10th and 12th holes, placing him one shot back from
then leader Lucas Glover and just one shot ahead of Brooks
Koepka through 12 holes.

Pampling, able to keep his game on target after the minor
setback, plowed through the remaining six holes at -4. He
sank three consecutive birdies on 13, 14, and 15 to tie Lucas
Glover for the lead at -19 with Brooks Koepka close behind
at -17. Pampling carded solids pars at 16 and 17, while Lucas
Glover dropped back a shot with a bogey on 17 and Brooks
Koepka gained one with a birdie at 16.

With a one-shot lead leading into the final hole, Pampling
was not backing down nor was he about to let his younger
counterparts steal anything out from under him. He left no

32 November 2- 5, 2017 | TPC SUMMERLIN | LAS VEGAS, NV