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SPORTS Monday 30 october 2017
Armour shoots 68, earns 1st career win at Sanderson Farms

By DAVID BRANDT and Scott Strohmeyer, but It didn’t matter for Armour,
AP Sports Writer his short game and putting who handled every situ-
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — were terrific. ation by finding fairways,
Ryan Armour’s final round “It’s validation that you staying out of trouble and
at the Sanderson Farms don’t have to hit it 330 in knocking down a few long
Championship was down- the air to still win golf tour- putts. He won $774,000,
right boring, which was ex- naments,” Armour said. “I which now accounts for
actly the plan. hit a lot of fairways. I hit a about a third of his career
The 41-year-old Armour lot of greens and made a earnings on the PGA Tour.
earned his first PGA Tour lot of putts and somehow He also earned his PGA
win on Sunday, shooting a you still win.” Tour card through the 2020
4-under 68 to beat Chesson Hadley shot a 68. Randolph season.
Hadley by five shots at the was third after shooting a “It’s job security for a few
Country Club of Jackson. 67 and finishing at 12 un- years, which I’ve never re-
Armour began the final der. Smylie Kaufman, Brian ally had out here,” Armour
round with a five-shot lead Stuard and Strohmeyer — said.
and was never seriously who was a Monday quali-
challenged. fier — tied for fourth at 10
He won for the first time under.
in 105 career starts, nail- Armour’s win bucks a trend
ing fairway after fairway in at Sanderson Farms, which
bright sunshine and cool has been dominated over
temperatures to avoid any the past several years by
drama. the tour’s younger golfers.
“It’s a big monkey off my Five of the previous six win- Ryan Armour lifts the winner’s trophy, a rooster named Reveille, after the Sanderson Farms
back, I’m not going to lie,” ners were in their 20s. Championship in Jackson, Miss., Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017.
said Armour, who finished Armour is a career journey- Associated Press
at 19 under for the tour- man who first earned his
nament. “There’s a lot of PGA Tour card in 2007. He
emotions running through lost his card after the 2008
my head. Part of me wants season and played in just
to fly home immediately one PGA Tour event from
and see my wife and kids. 2009 to 2014. In 2013, he
“And part of me wants to didn’t even qualify for the
go hang out with the boys.” Web.com Tour, spending
Jonathan Randolph — a most of his time at home
Jackson-area native play- in Florida, hanging out with
ing on his home course — family and working on his
briefly made a charge with game.
seven birdies over his first Now he’s playing some of
nine holes. the best golf of his career.
That pushed him to 14 un- “You’ve got to believe in
der, but Armour was able something out here if you
to maintain some separa- don’t hit it 330,” Armour
tion thanks to three birdies said. “I’m sticking to the
on his first seven holes. fact that I hit fairways and
Randolph eventually greens.”
cooled off and Armour me- Armour navigated the
thodically worked his way course in a myriad of con-
around the course with ditions throughout the
short, but straight drives. tournament. It was warm
He had six birdies and two and breezy during the first
bogeys on Sunday and two rounds before a front
shot 68 or better in all four came through Friday night,
rounds. bringing rain and causing
At times, his drives would temperatures to drop dra-
be 30 or 40 yards behind matically for Saturday’s
playing partners Hadley third round.q

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