2006 TaylorMade-adidas Golf Winter Tournament Program Home Page
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Roy Vucinich of Moon Township, Pa., beaten in the finals last year, moved another step closer to winning the 43rd annual PGA Match Play Championship on Friday, beating Brett Melton of Monee, Ill., 1-up in the quarterfinals on the Dye Course at the PGA Golf Club.
Vucinich sank a three-foot par putt on the 18th hole to outlast Melton. Neither one had reached the green in regulation. Melton, who was wide right on his drive and short on his second shot, hit his third short on the front of the green and was long on his par putt. Vucinich pitched on from right of the green and saved his par for the victory.
In one semifinal Saturday, Vucinich plays Larry Emery of Highlands, N.C., who went 22 holes before outlasting Tom Sipula of Port St. Lucie. In the other, Rick Schuller of Chester, Va., meets Philip Fecteau of North Attleboro, Mass. Schuller edged Mitch Camp of Aurora, Ohio, on the first extra hole. Fecteau won the most lopsided match of the day, 3 & 1 over Joseph Pollack of Grand Rapids, Mich.
Saturday's winners meet for the championship Sunday. The champion will earn $4,000, the runner-up $2,600, from the $44,800 purse.
Vucinich, 58, a former Champions Tour player, says he doesn't look at the ages of his opponents.
"I have just been taking them as they come," he said. "I've been playing pretty well all winter."
Two of his five opponents this far have also been seniors.
Melton, 31, a teaching professional at Green Garden Country Club in Frankfort, Ill., was the runner-up in this tournament in 2004.
"He just outplayed me today," Melton said. "He hit some of the best irons shots I've ever seen."
Melton lost 5 & 4 to Frank Bensel of Greenwich, Conn., in the 2004 finals, Vucinich to Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, 4 & 3 in the championship a year ago.
Vucinich and Melton were even at the turn, each with two birdies and a bogey. After they halved the next five holes, Vucinich took the lead at the par-4 15th, hitting 7-iron to the green and sinking an 11-foot birdie putt. It was the longest birdie putt either one had made all day. Melton pulled even with a conceded birdie at the par-5 17th, setting up the dramatic finish.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Winter Championships
PGA Match Play Championships
PGA GC, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Dye Course, 7,040 yards, par 72
Quarterfinal Results Friday:
Rick Schuler, Chester, Va., def. Mitch Camp, Aurora, Ohio, 19th hole.
Philip Fecteau, North Attleboro, Mass., def. Joseph Pollack, Grand Rapids, Mich., 3 & 1.
Larry Emery, Highlands, N.C., def. Tom Sipula, Port St. Lucie, 22nd hole.
Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa., def. Brett Melton, Monee, Ill., 1-up.
Beaten players received $1,400.
Semifinal Schedule Saturday:
8:00 a.m.: Emery vs. Vucinich.
8:09 a.m.: Schuller vs. Fecteau.
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