Goodes birdies 18 to win Allianz Championship

2009-02-15

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BOCA RATON, FLORIDA (TICKER) —Mike Goodes came through with a birdie on the final hole Sunday to win the $1.7 million Allianz Championship.

Goodes fired a 6-under-par 66 on Sunday to finish at 15-under 201. Fulton Allem also birdied 18 but it was not enough as he finished at 14-under after a 66.

Gil Morgan and Tom Jenkins entered Sunday’s final round tied for the lead at 10-under, but they both shot 71 to finish tied for fourth at 11-under along with England’s Mike James.

Bernhard Langer, the reigning Player and Rookie of the Year, rebounded from a 73 on Saturday with a 67 to finish third at 12-under 204.

Goodes got off to a fast start with three straight birdies starting at No. 2. He added another at the sixth before suffering his lone bogey of the day at No. 7. Goodes closed the front nine with a birdie and added two more coming in, including one on 18 to clinch the win and pick up $255,500.

“I really felt it was my day by how I started because I putted so well,” Goodes said. “I just told myself to think about the next shot.”

Allem also started strong, recording birdies on five of his first seven holes. He finished the round with eight birdies and a pair of bogeys.

“It was fun, I got off to a really good start,” Allem said. “It was a good tournament, I played steady.”

The win was Goodes’ first on the Champions Tour and came against an impressive field. The 79-man field that started the event had won a combined 100 majors on the PGA and Champions Tours and 843 events overall.

“I love competing in golf, I love to try and get better,” Goodes said. “I work hard and try to do things in my life to stay competitive.”