RALEIGH – Kyle Thompson birdied the last hole to take a one-shot lead and win the 2011 Rex Hospital Open.
“Coming here is great for me,” said Thompson, who also won the 2007 Rex Hospital Open.
With the leaders changing positions throughout the day after nearly every shot, Thompson’s victory came down to the final hole, where he sank a 7-footer to finish at 14-under for the tournament.
“It was every golfers dream – a right-center uphill putt,” said Thompson, who carded 68-66-68-68 for the event.
Martin Flores, Scott Brown and Troy Kelly finished tied for second at 13-under. Playing one group behind Thompson, Kelly and Flores both had birdie opportunities to force a playoff. They both missed by less than a foot.
Thompson earned $99,000 of the $550,000 tournament purse, moving into the Top 10 on the Nationwide Tour money list. The Top 25 money winners at the end of the Nationwide Tour season will earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.
At the beginning of the final round Sunday, Ryan Armour was tied with Flores and Kelly for the 54-hole lead. And there were 10 other golfers within four shots of the leaders.
By the time the final threesome made the turn Sunday, there were 22 players within four shots of each other. And when the final threesome was on 16, there still were two players – Brown and Armour - tied at 14-under and four more at 13-under.
But Brown bogeyed 17, leaving Armour alone at 14-under. Then Armour bogeyed 16 and 17, taking him out of contention and five tied for the lead at 13-under: Brown, Flores, Kelly, Thompson and Kyle Riefers.
Riefers bogeyed 17, and four players were left at 13-under. Brown then left a 15-foot birdie putt short on 18 to set up Thompson’s heroics.
“I really read the putts well this week,” Thompson said. “I played well all week. I made three mistakes – three three-putts within 10 feet.”
But there was no three-putt on 18.
J. Eric Eckard writes about all things golf on his second golfer blog. You also can follow him on Twitter.
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