The seeds of this victory had been planted two weeks prior in Colorado. That was uncharacteristic of Woods, especially on the final nine of a major.īeem also won because he believed. 13 (three putts from 20 feet) and 14 (poor chip to 15 feet). That was surprising, especially since the short-game wizard got up-and-down for par only once in seven tries Sunday.Īfter Beem eagled 11 for a three-stroke lead over Woods, the world’s No. Leonard, the 54-hole leader by three strokes, faded to a 77. He made enough here to lead the PGA in birdies with 19, two more than the next best, Justin Leonard. “He’s played well all year, but recently he started making a few putts.” “His pace was good there and it never left us,” said Heim, a former UTEP golfer and veteran of five PGA Tour Q-Schools. I didn’t leave myself many 4- or 5-footers to save par, and when you don’t put that pressure on yourself, it really makes a difference.”īill Heim, Beem’s caddie of more than two years, said Beem’s distance control on the greens started improving at The International. “I’ve focused on it more, and it’s made a huge difference. “My speed is better now,” Beem said of the pace of his putts. Perhaps most important Sunday were the 6-footer for eagle at 11 and a 35-footer for birdie at 16, the course’s toughest hole for the week. He didn’t three-putt all week until the 72nd hole, which he entered with a two-stroke cushion over Woods. “I made everything I looked at the first two days,” Beem said to open his interview-room session after the second round.īeem had 29 and 30 putts the final two rounds, including seven one-putts each day. He had 12 one-putt greens Thursday and 11 one-putts or less Friday. He co-led through 36 holes mainly because he took only 24 putts each of the first two days. He was especially sharp the first two rounds. “It was the same as The International (where Beem won Aug. “My putting was outstanding this week,” Beem said after shooting 10-under-par 278 and beating a late-charging Tiger Woods by one stroke. His 107 putts for 72 holes were two fewer than the next best players, Jim Furyk and David Duval. His statistics last year were similar.īut, in a marked change, Beem led the PGA field at Hazeltine National Golf Club on the greens. Make that improved putting.īeem entered the tournament ranked 150th on the 2002 PGA Tour in putts per round and 126th in putting average. Unlikely winner Rich Beem claimed the 84th PGA Championship for myriad reasons, perhaps none more important than his putting. Top 50 Modern Courses in Great Britain & Ireland.Top 50 Classic Courses in Great Britain & Ireland.Mexico, Caribbean, Atlantic islands, Central America.
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