Monday, January 14, 2002
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Kelly breaks through Jerry Kelly finally answered the call.
Jerry Kelly wins his first tournament
by outplaying John Cook, the man
who beat him 5 months agoBy Paul Arnett
parnett@starbulletin.comAfter 200 PGA Tour events, Kelly's tap-in for birdie at the final hole gave him a one-stroke victory over nemesis John Cook yesterday to secure the $4 million Sony Open at testy Waialae Country Club.
It was the second time in five months that Cook and Kelly went down to the final hole before determining a winner. In August, Cook came from way back in the pack to beat Kelly by one shot at the Reno-Tahoe Open, something not lost on Kelly since the twosome went to the top of the leaderboard on Friday.
But fortunately for Kelly, history didn't repeat itself for Cook.
"It's one of those things where I have put in three years of really hard work," Kelly said of the win. "The best thing about winning is I get to come back and do it again next week. I'm dying for next week, dying. I'm glad it (Bob Hope Chrysler Classic) starts Wednesday. I don't get to celebrate as much, but man, get me right to it. I'm excited.
"It's another step in the right direction. Hopefully, this gives me the ability to shoot 65, 64 on Sunday, which I haven't done. Well, I did it once, but I got in a playoff and lost (to Tiger Woods). I just hope it mentally lets me get to the next level."
Watching Cook birdie from the 18th fairway to draw even, Kelly hit a 3-iron that flirted with the bunker on the right side of the green before rolling onto the dance floor in two, some 45 feet from the hole.
It set up a birdie putt from 18 inches that he carefully put in to give Kelly his first PGA Tour victory and the $720,000 first prize. Cook overcame a disappointing bogey on the par-3 17th that occurred in part because of a fan's cellular phone call in the middle of his downswing.
As Cook yelled out, "no phone," his 5-iron sailed wide right and into a deep bunker. He came out strong within four feet of the hole but misread the par putt. It briefly gave Kelly a two-shot lead that was quickly erased by a bogey of his own on 17 and a birdie by Cook on the 18th.
"I heard it was a cell phone," Kelly said. "That's awful. They ought to skin him. It was almost a letdown for me when I found out because you don't want to win that way. I saw him make bogey on 17, but then he birdied the 18th, as I figured he would."
Kelly responded with a powerful 3-wood on the 18th tee and a beautiful iron shot that left a smile spreading across his face as he walked up the final fairway. In three previous tournaments since 1999, Kelly led after 54 holes, only to see a tour victory elude him late. In 2001, he lost to Cook in Reno and to Woods in a playoff at the Players Championship.
He wasn't going to let that happen again. Two par putts on the back side gave Kelly the emotional lift he needed to go head-to-head with Cook. The 5-footer on the 14th was big, but the 12-footer on the 15th was straight and true.
"It will be 20 feet by tonight," Kelly said. "That's the biggest putt of my life. Absolutely, no question. I shed more emotion on that putt than I ever have.
The Wisconsin native may have showed his enthusiasm after that putt, but he reeled in his emotions for the stretch drive. He finished the round the way he began -- at 14-under. Fortunately for him, an even-par 70 was good to go in the difficult conditions and tough pin placements facing the 73 golfers.
Jay Don Blake's final-round 65, helped immensely by an eagle on the 18th, put him in third at 269, some three strokes behind Kelly and two off Cook's 267 pace. Matt Kuchar, Charles Howell III and 2001 PGA Championship winner David Toms finished tied for fourth at 270.
Kelly surpassed the $4 million mark in career earnings with his first win to move into the top 100. He is currently No. 2 on the 2002 money list behind Sergio Garcia entering this week's stop at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.
Kelly had seven top-10 finishes last year and has made every cut here since the tournament became the Sony Open in 1999. His previous best finish here was a tie for ninth in 2000. Nine of his last 12 rounds here have been in the 60s and 14 of 16 at par or better.
Still, he needed a bit of strange luck to get the win. Cook was still angry in the media room about the unexpected cell call. PGA Tour rules prohibit cell phones. The young man was escorted from the grounds by two security guards but not before Cook stared him down.
"That's the way it goes," Cook said. "It's unfortunate. Any point in the golf swing other than that. It's one point in the golf swing you can't quit. Not even Tiger Woods could stop himself at that point.
"I'm sure the kid feels bad. I'm lucky the ropes were there, I was ready. I don't think I would have been that upset about finishing second, but this was pretty bittersweet. Nothing against Jerry. I'm really happy for Jerry. It's a great win and he deserves it. I made a good two-putt on 18 and made Jerry earn it. And he did."