orLanDo, FLorIDa | Robert
Garrigus turned a nightmare
into a dream come true when
he won the Children’s Miracle
Network Classic by three
shots Sunday for his first
career PGA Tour victory.
Until now, Garrigus was
best known for squandering
a three-shot lead on the final
hole of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis in July with a
triple-bogey seven on the 18th
to force a three-way playoff
among Garrigus, Robert Karls-son and Lee Westwood. It was
Westwood who won the playoff
to get his first PGA Tour victory
and leave Garrigus as the butt
of Monday talk show hosts.
“It was everything today,”
Garrigus said. “It was awe-
some. I’d have to say this one
is for ( Washington Post writer
and ESPN commentator) Tony
Kornheiser. He said I’d never
win on the PGA Tour. It’s nice
to prove him wrong.”
Garrigus came into the
week 122nd on the PGA Tour
money list and was hoping for
a good week to keep his Tour
playing privileges for 2011.
Instead, he came from five
shots behind 54-hole leader
Roland Thatcher and shot a
final-round, 8-under 64. The
Robert Garrigus
victory gives Garrigus a two-year exemption on Tour.
Garrigus posted 68-65-70
in his first three rounds to go
with the Sunday 64 for a total
of 267, 21-under par on the
Magnolia and Palm courses at
Walt Disney World Resort. He
started his Sunday with four
straight birdies starting at the
second and caught Thatcher
midway through the back nine.
They were tied when Gar-
rigus made an 18-footer for
birdie on the par- 4 17th, and
Thatcher heard the roar while
he was preparing to putt for
par at the 16th. He missed a
three-footer and fell two shots
behind Garrigus with two
holes to play.
