Mike Small wins PGA Professional National Championship
July 1, 2009 | Men's Golf
July 1, 2009
Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. - Illinois head coach Mike Small used a birdie on the par-five 16th to help propel him to victory at the 42nd PGA Professional National Championship at Twin Warriors in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. Small wins his second career title in the event, having also won it in 2005 with two runner-up finishes in between.
The field of 312 players were also competing for 20 spots in the PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., on Aug. 13-16. With today's victory, Small also picks up an exemption for six PGA Tour events in 2010. Small's appearance in this year's PGA marks his eighth major championship. He made the cut in 2005 and 2007 and earned the low club professional at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla., in '07.
"This is huge," Small said afterward. "It validates the one I had four years ago and sets me up for a good year-and-a-half of golf. It also brings credibility to our program."
Small entered the day at four under par, in a tie for sixth and four strokes out of the lead. He shot his second straight 68 to finish at seven under par 277, one stroke in front of Stephen Schneiter and Mark Sheftic. The trio entered the final two holes in a tie for first at -7. Schneiter bogeyed 17 and after Small finished his round with a pair of pars, Sheftic failed to get up and down on 18, missing a 15-foot par putt.
"I surprised myself," Small said of his victory. "I haven't been able to practice and I've been hampered with a bad back, but when you get in this position, old memories kick in."
For Small, the winning hole came on the 584-yard par five. After a booming drive, Small reached the green in two, just barely missing an eagle putt before tapping in for birdie.
"After a solid drive, I hit a perfect four iron and just pulled the eagle putt," Small said of the 16th. "I concentrated on hitting greens and fairways on the tough 17 and 18 holes."
At the time, Small trailed Tim Weinhart by two strokes, but Weinhart played his last five holes at four-over par and finished at -4. Small made five birdies and just two bogeys in his three-under par round.
For complete results, http://www.pga.com/nationalchampionship/2009/scoring/
