Flanagan races past stumbling Driscoll to win Xerox Classic  PGA TOUR Staff ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- While many predicted Sunday would be a coronation for James Driscoll, Nick Flanagan had other ideas. The 23-year-old Australian posted a 7-under 63 on Sunday -- the best round of the week -- to wipe out a seven-stroke deficit at the beginning of the day and go on to a one-stroke win at the Nationwide Tour's 23rd event.  Nick Flanagan put on one of his patented final-round charges Sunday. (Jim Rogash/WireImage)
More importantly, Flanagan notched his third win of the season to become the Tour's eighth player to earn the Three-Win Promotion to the PGA TOUR -- and the first since Jason Gore in 2005. Flanagan will have a month to set his sights on the PGA TOUR -- happily watching from the sidelines as the FedExCup Playoffs get underway this week at The Barclays. Flanagan, who posted wins earlier this year at the Henrico County Open and the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs, will be eligible for competition starting at the Turning Stone Resort Championship in mid-September. "Making it to the PGA TOUR is a dream come true," said Flanagan, who rolled in 30-footers for birdie on Nos. 16 and 18 to cap off his day. "A lot of things went right for me today. Then I rolled in the putt on the last hole and the rest is history." Driscoll (71), who was seeking his first Tour win since the 2004 Virginia Beach, had been dominant up until Sunday -- jumping out to a share of the first-round lead with a 6-under 64 and holding at least a share of the lead each day. Driscoll played steady on Sunday and appeared to be on cruise control for his first victory since the 2004 Virginia Beach Open, but a double bogey on the par-4 16th hole opened the door for Flanagan, who happily waltzed through thanks to a scorecard that consisted of five birdies and an eagle on the par-3 third hole. "I didn't have anything to lose today," said Flanagan, who hit nine of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens in regulation. "I was out there to win and I pulled it off. But (realistically) he was so far ahead, I really wasn't thinking about winning the golf tournament ... not until the last four holes at least. To run him down was good, but it took a little luck as well." Flanagan actually posted more birdies (6) on Saturday, but failed to make up ground on Driscoll due to two double bogeys and two bogeys. "I had six birdies yesterday but I shot an even-par 70," said Flanagan. "I had five birdies and an eagle today without any mistakes. I kept the mistakes off of the card and that was the key." Dramatic finishes are becoming Flanagan's staple. He entered the final round one shot behind the leaders at the Henrico County Open, but forced and then won a playoff on the final day for his maiden victory. Then he entered the final round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs trailing by three shots, only to fire a final-round 7-under 65 to clip Nicholas Thompson by a single shot. "I tend to play well when it is a pressure situation," said Flanagan. "My mind tends to lock in and focus." With the victory, Flanagan collects $108,000 and jumps to No. 2 among The 25 on the money list. With $369,951, he trails only Roland Thatcher ($386,254) in earnings. The pressure to finish first on the money list is over for Flanagan, however, as his Three-Win Promotion serves the same purpose as finishing the season No. 1 -- both positions equal full status on the PGA TOUR and offer the advantage of picking your own schedule for the 2008 season. "The good thing about it is that I am set up for next year," said Flanagan. "I may play the rest of the year for some Christmas money. You're not going to stop me from playing in $4- and $5-million events." Hoisting a trophy on the 18th green is an enviable position to be in for a professional golfer, but to do it three times in a season and advance to the biggest stage in golf is mind-boggling for the 2003 U.S. Amateur Champion. It is an experience he'll cherish for years to come. "My goal ever since I turned pro was to play out here on the Nationwide Tour and ultimately make it to the PGA TOUR," said Flanagan. "If I wasn't playing out here and learning, I wouldn't be as good of a player as I am right now. These guys are so good out here. Playing against them taught me I had to work harder to see results." Flanagan has been nothing short of extraordinary this season, posting three wins in 16 starts and notching five top-10 finishes. His win is the 31st by an Australian on Tour, easily the most out of the 72 overall international wins. As for Driscoll, he'll head to West Virginia and hope for a better result. "Never at any point today did I feel like I was unraveling," said Driscoll. "It hurts to lead every day and not get it done. It wasn't nerves. It was just one double bogey and Nick shot a 63. Congratulations to him. He is a great player and deserves to be on the PGA TOUR." Final-Round News & Notes: Players who have won the Tour's Three-Win Promotion to the PGA TOUR include Chris Smith (1997), Heath Slocum (2001), Chad Campbell (2001), Pat Bates (2001), Patrick Moore (2002), Tom Carter (2003), Jason Gore (2005) and Nick Flanagan (2007). ... Flanagan's come-from-behind victory is the second straight in the three-year history of the Xerox Classic. A year ago, Kevin Stadler entered the final round three strokes behind tournament leader Steve Collins, but stormed back for a one-stroke victory. ... The shot of the day was turned in by Ted Smith with a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth hole. It was the second ace of the week (Skip Kendall). ... With James Driscoll failing to carry his third-round lead on to victory, the 54-hole leader has now won 13 of 23 events this season. ... There were four bogey-free rounds on Sunday (Nick Flanagan-63, Daniel Summerhays-66, Ricky Barnes-67 and Matt Harmon-69), bringing the total for the week to 12. ... The Nationwide Tour heads to the Mountain State this week for the fourth annual National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic presented by Northrop Grumman. |
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