With his unconventional whirlybird follow through, it seemed at times that Tommy Gainey might take flight Sunday, especially when the wind kicked up on the back nine at the University of Maryland Golf Course.
But leading the Melwood Prince George’s County Open, Gainey held his ground, literally and figuratively, then hit the shot of his career on the 72nd hole to win for the first time on the Nationwide Tour.
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If anything took off Sunday, it was the career of Gainey, 34, a latecomer to professional golf who worked several years on a factory assembly line. With his win, Gainey collected $108,000 and moved to No. 2 on the Nationwide money list, virtually assuring his spot on the PGA Tour in 2011.
“It’s probably gonna take a few days for it to sink in,” said Gainey, a native of South Carolina. “Tomorrow I have U.S. Open qualifying at Woodmont, so I really don’t have much time to party.”
Gainey prevailed with a bold stroke on the 18th hole, an uphill, 547-yard par five. Standing 264 yards from the pin and tied for the lead with Frank Lickliter, Gainey ripped a 3-hybrid that landed in front of the green and rolled to the back, settling 30 feet from the hole. Then under a darkening sky, with thunder cracking in the distance and raindrops falling, Gainey two-putted for a birdie to win by one shot.
The victory came after Gainey (69-69-64-65 – 267) survived the cut with just one stroke to spare. It was his first win after runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour in 2008 and three weeks ago on the Nationwide.
“I’m really happy to get the monkey off my back and score a win,” said Gainey. “It’s been a long time coming.”
With a violent storm approaching, Gainey was hustled into the clubhouse for the trophy presentation. In addition to his hardware, Gainey received a Maryland basketball jersey from Terps’ coach and tournament host Gary Williams. The jersey bore the No. 1 and read, “Champion.”
With the University of Maryland Golf Course hosting a professional tour event for the first time, it was appropriate that the champion wore the school’s colors, albeit by accident.
“Early in the week, I said I would wear red on Sunday,” said Gainey. “I didn’t have any clue of being in College Park, Maryland, the University of Maryland being here, or that red was their color.”
As a 2005 winner on the Golf Channel reality series, The Big Break, Gainey was known as “Tommy Two Gloves,” for his unusual habit of wearing golf gloves on both hands, even when putting.
On Sunday, his “mittens” served him well as he played the first seven holes in 6-under par. When Gainey drained a 20-foot eagle putt at No. 7, he had come from three strokes down to take a two-shot lead. But that evaporated at No. 9, where Gainey duck-hooked into tall grass and took a drop on his way to a double bogey.
But on the back nine, Gainey regained his lead with a 10-foot birdie putt at No. 11. With the wind up and the conditions tough, Gainey played bogey free on the back nine.
Highly-touted Nationwide rookie Kyle Stanley, playing with Gainey, made a run at the lead with a flop-shot eagle at the par-four 16th to pull to within a stroke. But at No. 18, Stanley missed the green with his approach and made a par to finish two strokes back.
Paul Claxton, who won the first Melwood, three years ago at Woodmore Country Club, birdied Nos. 16 and 17, but failed to continue the run at No. 18 and finished two strokes back, along with Nick Flanagan, who won three Nationwide events in 2007.
Jin Park, who opened the final round tied for the lead with B.J. Staten, birdied two of the final three holes, but finished a stroke behind, along with Lickliter, a 14-year PGA Tour veteran who had his best Nationwide finish. Lickliter birdied three of the final six holes, including the 18th, compelling Gainey to go for the green in two.
“When I’m aggressive, good things happen,” said Gainey. “When I’m not aggressive, I really shoot bad numbers.”
Gainey did it with his violent, homemade swing. He starts out of a deep crouch and uses a baseball grip.
“You look at Ernie Els, Fred Couples. Look how smooth they swing at it,” said Gainey. “Me, I’m a grip it, rip it guy, like John Daly.”
