CARLSBAD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 13, 2006–Craig Kanada, a featured player on Odyssey’s "The Grind" (www.thegrind2006.com), a website chronicling the exploits of three Nationwide Tour golfers trying to work their way to the PGA Tour, pulled off a storybook finish yesterday to win the Nationwide Tour Championship and earn his
2007 PGA Tour card.
Kanada began Sunday’s final round at The Houstonian Country Club in Richmond, Texas, six shots off the lead, but six birdies on the front nine pulled him within striking distance. The 38-year-old journeyman then chipped in from 25 feet on the 71st hole to save par and take the lead. Amazingly, he turned right around and repeated the feat, this time for birdie from 50 feet, on the final hole. Kanada’s final-round 66 placed him at 13-under-par 275, one stroke ahead of 54-hole leader Matt Kuchar.
"To chip in twice in a row…. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that before," said Kanada, who recorded his first win earlier this year at the Utah Energy Solutions Championship, snapping a string of 270 starts without a victory. "But to do it on 17 and 18 to get my card and win this tournament…. It’s almost too much to handle."
The victory paid $135,000 and vaulted Kanada from 32nd place on the money list to 11th, the largest jump in the 14-year history of the Nationwide Tour Championship. When he needed his putter, his Odyssey White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter served him well: he finished second in the elite field in putts per GIR (1.64) and T2 (27) in putts per round.
Kanada’s performance also set two significant records at the Nationwide Tour’s season wrap-up. His overcoming of a six-stroke deficit was the largest come-from-behind victory in the history of the Nationwide Tour Championship, and his closing 66 was the lowest final-round score ever by a winner.
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