Australia’s Cameron Percy all but booked his return to the PGA Tour in 2015 after a superb victory at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper in Missouri on the Web.Com Tour.
Percy birdied the 72nd hole, at Highlands Springs Country Club, for a one-stroke victory. The Victorian carded a 68 on Sunday and finished at 21-under 267. The $121,500 first-place prize moves the Australian native to No. 12 on the Regular Season money list, likely netting him a return trip to the PGA TOUR.
“It feels unbelievable,” Percy said. “I’ve been playing well for a while. To get out with a win feels fantastic.”
Finishing one stroke back were Brandt Jobe (66), Zac Blair (66), Michael Kim (67) and Carlos Sainz Jr. (67), who were all in the clubhouse at 20 under as Percy played the final hole.
Rounding out the top 10, in a tie for sixth, were Justin Thomas (64), Ryan Spears (67) and Sebastian Cappelen (69).
As Percy approached his tee ball in the left rough on the par-5 18th he knew that he was tied for the lead. Kim had just finished up and was at 21-under for the tournament until he was assessed a one-stroke penalty for lifting his ball in the right rough. The bogey dropped Kim into a five-way tie for first. Percy thought long and hard on whether he should lay up or not. In the end, the PGA TOUR veteran hit a hybrid from 208 yards to the back of the 18th green. After a free drop from a sprinkler head, Percy got up and down for his first win.
“It’s amazing what goes through your head,” he said. “I got lucky that ball was next to the sprinkler.”
After Percy made the winning putt he was congratulated by a fellow Aussie who had finished a few hours ahead of him.
“Aron Price hung around,” he said. “That means the world to me.”
This win could not have come at a better time for Percy. The Raleigh, North Carolina resident is moving into a new house this week at TPC Wakefield and was planning to take the week off to oversee the move. With his TOUR card all but locked up for next season, Percy’s plans have changed. The father-of-three will take the next two weeks off so that he can be fresh for the start of the Web.com Tour Finals, which start with the Hotel Fitness Championship.
Sainz had a great chance to get to 21-under when he hit his third shot on the finishing hole to six feet. The Chicago native missed the birdie putt on the low side but saw plenty of positives from his play this week.
“It feels great,” he said. “This week it kind of came together. Unfortunately I just didn’t make the putt at the final hole and that was pretty much the deciding factor.”
It was not so easy for Kim, who was sitting at that magic number that would have forced a playoff before the one-stroke penalty. Even though he didn’t get to play extra holes, Kim has earned enough money with his finish in Springfield to qualify for the Finals.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” he said. “I played well this week and hopefully I’ll do well in the (Finals).”