PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- He was not supposed to be here, but Chris Moody of Provo, Utah, the fourth alternate of the Utah PGA Section, landed a berth in the Championship and then closed with a final-round even-par 72 to win the 2007 TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship, Oct. 28, at The PGA Golf Club.
Moody, a 32-year-old apprentice assistant professional at Riverside Country Club in Provo, finished with an 11-under-par 277 total on a gusty Sunday at the Wanamaker Course, which was two strokes better than Jim Herman, a PGA assistant professional at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Herman made a late charge with a 67.
Moody's path to the Championship's first tee was more a barrier than his skill on the course, which eventually resulted in his becoming the first Utah Section member to win the Championship.
Utah received two original spots in the field, but the No. 2 qualifier, Shawn Edwards of Midway, Utah, declined the invitation. Alternate Dustin Volk of Layton, Utah, declined, with second alternate Weston Maughan of Draper, Utah, taking his spot.
Utah then moved to No. 2 in the rotation for filling the field, and the Australian PGA invitee could not compete. Next, Utah's No. 3 alternate, Stuart Nelson of Midway, Utah, declined, which opened the door for No. 4 Moody.
He took quick advantage, building a five-stroke lead on the strength of a third-round 66, then held on in the final 18 holes through wind gusts that blew across an already-soggy course.
"I feel so fortunate to even be here," said Moody. "The whole experience has been so emotional and this is by far the biggest tournament I have ever won in my career. It's funny sometimes how things work out."
Scott Medlin, a PGA apprentice at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort, carded a 68 to claim third at 281, while Bob Jacobson, PGA assistant professional at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, Calif., was another stroke back at 282.
Moody opened the final round with three bogeys on his front nine and saw his lead trimmed to a stroke heading into the back-nine.
"I was bleeding all over on the first few holes," said Moody, who celebrated his 33rd birthday a day after the finale. "I was too complacent on the front side. I think that I was guiding the ball instead of just going ahead and hitting it."
Moody made a significant change from the front nine to the back nine, which led to four birdies and one bogey.
"I felt a sense of urgency, looking at the scoreboard and seeing I was only up by one," said Moody, who with his victory, received an invitation to compete in the 2008 Australian PGA National Futures Championship. "I got to the 10th fairway and I was in between clubs. I went with my gut, which was an 8-iron, and I hit it perfect. From that point on I really got on a roll and that led to a whole lot more birdies."
Moody also admits that the weather may have played a significant role in his round.
"We went through the whole ball of wax today," said Moody, who won the Championship in his third appearance. "We dealt with rain, wind and heat at different points in the round."
Herman felt he gave himself a chance going into the final round.
"I knew I would at least have to go out there and shoot a 66 today," said Herman, who was also making his third appearance in the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship. "I did not have any bogeys and five birdies, but I still left some shots out on the course that I wish would have dropped. Of course, he would have had to shoot a little worse then what he actually did."
Herman admits to being a little confused by the greens early in the week.
"I drove the ball well all week and had good iron play, but it took a while for me to get used to these greens," said Herman, who shot a 68 in his third round. "When I finally realized the speed and break I dropped a few more putts."
Three-time Champion Kyle Flinton of Edmond, Okla., PGA assistant professional at Quail Creek Golf & Country Club in Oklahoma City, Okla., shot a 73 and tied for eighth along with three others. Flinton, who captured titles in 2002, '03 and '05, was unable to make a serious run at a fourth title.
"My ball striking was really bad this week," said the 41-year Flinton. "I just need to chalk this tournament up as a bad four-day event. I have a few more job opportunities that may be opening up but I do hope to come back and compete again next year."
Sarah Sasse-Kildow of Lincoln, Neb., an assistant professional at Holmes Park Golf Course and the first female to compete in the history of the championship, shot a second-round 76 and missed the cut by three-strokes.
Sasse-Kildow, the most decorated player in University of Nebraska women's golf, is a four-time U.S. Amateur competitor (1997, 2000, '02, '03); was the Big 12 Player of the Year during her senior year, and an NCAA First-Team All American on the Cornhuskers' Big 12 Champion Team.
A former Futures Golf Tour member, Sasse-Kildow nearly achieved another major rung in her career.
"The guys that I was paired with this week were absolutely wonderful," said Sasse-Kildow, who has never attempted to qualify for the Championship prior to this year. "You never know how you will be received but I take a whole bunch of great memories with me from this tournament."
Sasse-Kildow has other priorities in her life that do not allow her to play much tournament golf.
"I do not play much any more," said Sasse-Kildow, winner of the Nebraska PGA Section qualifier by six-strokes. "Between teaching, being a new mom and having a whole bunch of other responsibilities at the course, you just do not play as much as you would like."
The field was trimmed to the low 70 scorers and ties after Friday's second-round, with 71 players advancing at 6-over-par to play the final two rounds.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf returned as title sponsor for the eighth consecutive year. The field included assistant professional champions Remi Bouchard from Quebec, Canada and Jonathan Lupton from Middlesbrough, England.
For more than 30 years, this Championship has produced many outstanding PGA Professionals who have gone onto successful careers in teaching and administering the game, as well as competing at the highest level on the PGA and Champions Tours.
The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.
