Grand effort from Mahan just shy of successful defense

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Jun. 22, 2008
By Bruce Berlet, Special to PGATOUR.com

CROMWELL, Conn. -- Golf has always had its horses for courses, and few have run as well as Hunter Mahan at TPC River Highlands.

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Hunter Mahan is the leading money winner in Travelers Championship history.

Hunter Mahan

Travelers Championship results

Year	Finish	Score to par
2008	T2	-17
2007	Won	-15
2006	T2	-11
2005	T54	Even
2004	T21	-5
2003	CUT	+5
2000	CUT	Even

Mahan made his Connecticut debut in 2000 when he got a sponsor's exemption from Canon as the American Junior Golf Association player of the year. Mahan shot two even-par 70s but missed the cut, as he did again in 2003.

But Mahan kick-started his River Highlands excellence when he tied for second in the 2006 Buick Championship, three shots behind hometown hero J.J. Henry.

Then last year, Mahan and Jay Williamson, a graduate of nearby Trinity College, put on one of the greatest shows on the PGA TOUR in 2007. Mahan birdied the 72nd hole from 7 feet to shoot a 5-under 65 and get into a playoff at 15-under 265. Then in the playoff, Mahan hit his second shot on the first hole to 2 feet after Williamson hit his approach to 8 feet. After Williamson missed his birdie try, Mahan won his first -- and only -- PGA TOUR title, starting a stellar run that earned him a captain's pick by Jack Nicklaus for the Presidents Cup team.

"I felt I was ready to win, put the ball right where I needed to put it and was able to pull off a couple of good shots at the end," Mahan said.

Sunday, in the second year of the Travelers Championship, Mahan nearly joined Phil Mickelson (2001-02) as the only repeat winner in the event's 56-year history. Mahan made birdie putts of 18 and 2 feet on the last two holes to close with 65 for 263 and tie with Tommy Armour III.

But Stewart Cink, who won the Travelers Championship as a rookie in 1997, earned his fifth PGA TOUR title in a round that included birdies on the 13th and 15th holes before and after a 63-minute rain delay. He clinched the victory when he parred No. 18 after slicing his drive off a cart path and into the rough.

"I played with Stewart (Saturday) and never thought for a second that he'd hit it into the next county," Mahan said.

After Cink's errant drive, Mahan went to the putting green, hoping for a second straight playoff at River Highlands. But Cink hit his second shot into the back fringe, rolled a 23-foot birdie putt 21 inches to the right and tapped in for 67, total score: 262.

"He did what he had to do," Mahan said. "But I'm excited how I played this week and proud of how I played today."

Mahan, who hit 16 of 18 greens, birdied four of the first nine holes, then parred the next seven, including the par-5 13th where he shanked a wedge shot but made a 6-foot putt to save par.

"I was trying to hit something and not spin it much," he said. "I got way ahead. 'Shankrala.'"

But Mahan again excelled down the stretch, hitting a 9-iron approach to 18 feet at No. 17 and a 151-yard, downwind wedge to 2 feet at the 18th. He hit the same club on No. 18 twice last year.

"It's one of the easiest finishing holes on TOUR," Mahan said. "We have most of the time water on the left, 450 yards. This is a little shorter (444) than most. It tends to be an exciting hole. Make birdies on it. Have a nice finish. No lead is safe going to 18."

Mahan never led Sunday and trailed Cink by three after the 15th hole.

"I thought I gave myself great chances on the back nine but just didn't read the putts the way I wanted," Mahan said. "I saw Stewie chip up [close] on 15, so I was just trying to birdie the last two and see what would happen. I wasn't really thinking about winning, just trying to finish strong."

And he almost won another title on one of his favorite courses; a course that clearly favors him, too, since he is now the biggest money winner in tournament history with $2,046,918.

"It's a course that rewards good shots," Mahan said. "If you hit a lot of fairways, you are going to give yourself great looks at birdies. I felt like the last couple years, I've been playing well coming in here. And I seem to putt these greens a little better than most greens, so that always helps. The course just fits my game. I mean I just feel comfortable on each hole on each shot."

Though somewhat disappointed with not getting his second win, Mahan was happy with how he handled his first title defense and how Travelers officials made life easy on him.

"Travelers put on a great tournament," Mahan said. "The new [$5 million] practice range is a first-class facility, and it was a first-class tournament."

Mahan would also like to continue the recent trend. Is a first awaiting him at next year's Travelers Championship?

"That would be great, too," he said. "I can do that. I can fall into that pattern."