VARGAS RETURNS IN A MAJOR WAY
Playing For The First Time Since January, He Wins The Masters
This year the usual complaints from Walter Vargas regarding handicaps were music to the commissioner’s ears as it meant that one of the Tour’s marque players, out since January, was back. Responsibilities off the course prevented the 10-year veteran from playing all but 1 tournament this season.
Consistency has always been the hallmark of Vargas’s game and it proved impervious to the long layoff as he won the Masters for a second time. A mere 3 strokes kept 6 golfers from the top spot, making it easy – as well as agonizing – to know where and when their tournament was lost.
Roused from bed, a frantic call to a babysitter, and P-Jay Fidler was off and running to the Masters less than 45 minutes from tee time. As a 2nd alternate he wasn’t about to give up an opportunity to play. “When you get a call to the big leagues,” said Fidler, “you show up.” Indeed!
It is the MGM Tour’s inherent chronological nature that often times inspires amazement at the passage of time. It had been 5 years – or, for dramatic effect, half a decade – since Walter Vargas’s last victory at the Masters. With each passing year, imagine the interminable hunger for those seeking their first or next Masters win.
-Willy J
2015 MASTERS FINAL SCORES (par 60)
| PLACE | GOLFER | SCORE | HANDICAP | NET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 T2 T2 T4 T4 T4 T4 8 9 10 | W. Vargas D. Vargas T. Joe Freitas Moawad Fidler Mann Witt Crump Gordón | 41-38=79 40-42=82 37-50=87 39-38=77 40-38=78 46-43=89 41-49=90 50-49=99 47-46=93 51-45=96 | 20 22 27 15 16 27 28 35 27 24 | 59 60 60 62 62 62 62 64 66 72 |
QUICK CHIPS
Tweet-tweet: Tim Joe won the $19 birdie pool (rolled over from the Griffith) with birdies on the par-3 2nd and par-3 8th. Doug Vargas (par-3 14th) and Martin Witt (par-3 14th) also carded birdies… Devil’s Gulch (holes 13-14-15): Chris Moawad (2nd straight year), Walter Vargas, and Nik Freitas top scores (+3), followed by Doug Vargas, P-Jay Fidler, and Clint Crump (+4)… Leaders: Chris Moawad carded a tournament-high 7 pars, followed by Walter Vargas, 6; Nik Freitas, in his Masters debut, carded a tournament-high 9 bogeys (Crump, 8)… Key to victory: Walter Vargas finished as the only golfer without a triple bogey or worse on his scorecard… Back-9 claims another: Tim Joe led by 2 strokes at the turn after carding a personal best 37, but went 13 strokes worse on the back-9. His final round 87 though, was his first sub-90 round in 6 years… From the penthouse to the… : Travois Gordón became the only defending champion in Masters history to finish last. 2013 champion Armen Grigorian did not play for the 2nd straight year… Milestones: Doug Vargas made his 80th career start, Martin Witt his 65th. Tim Joe extended the Tour record for consecutive tournaments played to 50.
