PGA Winter Tournament Recap

BY CRAIG DOLCH | SPECIAL TO PGA OF AMERICA

DYLAN NEWMAN | EVENT #3 | 68-69=137

Dylan Newman had three birdies in a five-hole stretch Tuesday and held on to win Event No. 3 of the PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club.

Newman shot a 3-under 69 on the Wanamaker Course to charge from seventh place to a one-shot victory over Joe Summerhays of (73) Syracuse, Utah and Frank Bensel of Jupiter (72) at 7-under 137.

It was Newman’s third PGA Tournament Series win in nine starts and earned him $5,000. He opened last year’s PGA Tournament Series by winning the first two events.

“The conditions were tough,” Newman said. “It was windy and the greens were slicker with harder pin positions. I didn’t hit it that great. I was 1-under on the front and only hit four greens in regulation. Then I was able to make those birdies.”

Not bad for a PGA Professional who had his appendix removed eight weeks ago. Newman tied for 11th in his two starts last week.

Newman thought he lost the tournament when he three-putted the 18th hole from 30 feet for a bogey, dropping him into a tie with Summerhays and Bensel. But Summerhays and Bensel also bogeyed the difficult par-4 18th that was playing into the wind.

“I wasn’t real happy when I walked off 18,” Newman said. “But I’m happy now. I’m playing well. I’m just a click away from playing really well.

“I like these courses out here. I know where to hit it, where not to hit it. What holes to take advantage of, where to play safe.”

the win or this case to get into the playoff.”

Balin’s late heroics enabled him to overcome a four-shot deficit to Donovan on the back nine. Balin shot 68, Kern a 67 and Donovan a 69. All three players hit it inside 8 feet on the first playoff hole, but each missed.

Danny Balin of Great Neck, N.Y., birdied the last two holes Tuesday to make a playoff, then birdied the second extra hole to win Event No. 5 of the PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club.

Balin hit a 7-iron from 171 yards to 3 feet for birdie on the second hole on the Dye Course to defeat Ben Kern of Georgetown, Texas and Kyle Donovan of Chicago. The three had finished at 7-under 137. Balin hit it to 10 feet on No. 17 and 18 inches on the closing hole.

“That’s why we play the game, to get the juices flowing in the competitive nature of golf,” said Balin, the PGA Head Professional at Fresh Meadow Golf Club. “I’ve been in this situation before. You just want to give yourself a chance for

“I was patient all day,” said Balin, who made news earlier this summer when he had actor Mike O’Keefe – who played Danny Noonan in the movie “Caddyshack” – caddie for him during practice rounds at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. “I haven’t played a lot of golf in the last month and a half. It was good to come down here and get some rust off.” ROB LABRITZ | EVENT #6 | 71-69=140

After a series of close calls, Rob Labritz of Pound Ridge, N.Y. faced the defining moment Friday on the final hole of Event No. 6 in the PGA Tournament Series at PGA Golf Club.

Labritz was leading by a stroke – not that he knew – when he hooked his tee shot into the trees on the 18th hole of the Wanamaker Course.

“My playing partner, Rob Corcoran, told me that Jason Caron got up-down from here to win the PGA Stroke Play Championship,” Labritz said. “I said, ‘OK, let me see if I can do that.’ I took aim over the water and hit a shot that never left the flag. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Labritz’s shot landed 30 feet away and he two-putted for par to win Event No. 6 by a shot over Danny Balin (69) of Great Neck, N.Y., Zac Oakley (72) of Lewes, Del., and Brett Walker (72) of Jupiter. Labritz shot 69 to finish 4-under 140.

“Your heart races, you get excited, when you get in that moment even though I wasn’t exactly sure where I stood,” said Labritz, the PGA Director of Golf at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, N.Y. “Sometimes you fail. Sometimes you don’t. You try to draw on those moment when you succeed.