Despite near darkness, Gordy Scutt of Olympic View Golf Club made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the 2014 Titleist / FootJoy PGA of BC Championship presented by AXIS Insurance Managers. Scutt closed with a final round 69 (-3) at Vancouver's Point Grey Golf & Country Club to reach a two day total of -4, the same score as Victoria Golf Club's Lindsay Bernakevitch, who fired Tuesday's low round of 67 (-5) to finish on the same mark.
Both players capitalized on the firm, fast conditions at Point Grey, reaching the par 5 18th hole in two shots. Scutt ran his eagle effort past the hole, but had the advantage of putting first to put pressure on Bernakevitch's birdie effort which failed to find the cup as daylight disapeared.
"My putter saved me early." Scutt said "But I hit the ball well all day. It was a solid round of golf for me."
Scutt began the day at -1, three back of overnight leader Kevin Maxwell, Olympic View's Head Golf Professional. Maxwell struggled Tuesday, carding his first birdie on the eighteenth hole and finishing in a tie for 5th after a 75 (+3).
Scutt would make up ground quickly, playing the first eight holes in -3 to tie for the lead. Bernakevitch reached his -4 total thanks to a hot start - a birdie at the first was quickly followed by a eagle at the third courtesy of a holed bunker shot. Two more birdies on the front nine saw him turn in 31 - a mark he would finish on after an even par 36 on the back nine.
Pre-tournament favourite Bryn Parry of Seymour Creek Golf Centre held the lead for most of the day, playing a steady round of 71 - one under par. The par 3 seventeenth would be his undoing though, after a poor tee shot left him in a greenside bunker unable to save par. Forced to lay up on the par 5 eighteenth, Parry could only manage a par and would post a total of -3. Fellow Seymour Creek professional Oliver Tubb also had a chance to join the playoff - his eagle effort at the eighteenth finished agonizing inches short, and he would also settle for a -3 total and a T3 finish.
Representatives Bob Rawlings and Will Norton from title sponsors Titleist / FootJoy were on hand to present Scutt with the William Thompson Trophy in the dark at Point Grey. Scutt trusts Titleist and Footjoy products throughout his golf bag - a decision that paid off with his first PGA of BC Championship title.
Point Grey Golf & Country Club showed it's calibre as a strong test of shotmaking during the event. Players were complimentary about the pristine course conditions, and enjoyed the character of the design. The traditional tree-lined layout has hosted Men's and Women's Canadian Opens, and recently played host to PGA Tour Canada's PC Financial Open - a tournament where 2012 PGA of BC Champion Brad Clapp contended late on Sunday and would eventually finish tied for second place in his PGA Tour Canada debut.
For full tournament results >> Click Here