By Bill Cooney, PGATOUR.COM Jonas Blixt is one of the best putters on the PGA TOUR and he proved it on Sunday at the Frys.com Open. Blixt used his short game magic en route to a final-round, 3-under 68 for a one-shot victory over a host of challengers at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif. Blixt became the third rookie to win the PGA TOUR this season, joining John Huh (Mayakoba Golf Classic) and Ted Potter Jr. (The Greenbrier Classic). “It’s unbelievable,” Blixt said. "I have no words right now. This is the biggest dream I've ever had." His short game made that dream come true. Blixt, ranked third on the PGA TOUR in strokes gained-putting, played a brilliant flop shot on the 17th hole that came to rest within 7 feet after his drive went over the green on the reachable par 4. The putt had just enough gas to drop in the bottom side of the hole for a birdie 3 to give him the outright lead. On the 18th, Blixt’s approach shot landed hard on the green and came to rest about 40 feet away from the hole on the opposite side of a tricky ridge in the green. A difficult first putt left a terrifying 3-footer left for par. Blixt, wearing a red shirt and matching shoes, lined up the putt with his caddie, took a couple of practice strokes, buried the putt in the center of the hole and let out a huge fist pump. He was then tackled by family and friends in celebration. With the victory, Blixt moved up to 35th on the money list -- climbing closer to qualify for the Masters -- and earned the all-important two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR. He is also the seventh first-time winner this season. Blixt grew up in Sweden playing ice hockey. But he said he never got big enough to compete on the biggest of stages. "Golf kind of suited me well," Blixt said. "Just kept playing golf and tried to make a career out of it." Tim Petrovic (64) and rookie Jason Kokrak (68) tied for second place. Petrovic, attempting to win for the first time since 2005, came into the day ranked 200th on the money list. More than anything, he was worried about getting into next week’s event at the McGladrey Classic. He’s now in -- and he moved up to 132nd on the money list. “I kind of attacked it like I was playing a one-and-done, Monday qualifier,” Petrovic said. “It kept me focused all day and it seemed to work.” Kokrak had his best finish on the TOUR and moved from No. 167 to No. 117 on the money list. He was a graduate from the Web.com Tour last season, where he won twice. Jimmy Walker, Vijay Singh, Alexandre Rocha and third-round leader John Mallinger tied for fourth place, two shots back. Mallinger carded an outward 38 to fall off the pace and couldn't recover. It was still his third top-five finish of the season and moved him up 20 spots to 78th on the money list.

By Bill Cooney, PGATOUR.COM Do you think Tim Petrovic was excited about the possibility of winning for the first time on the PGA TOUR since 2005? You bet he was. Settling for second place wasn't so bad, either. Petrovic carded a 7-under 64 to shoot to the top of the leaderboard in the final round of the Frys.com Open at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif., finishing while his nearest challengers had several holes to play. "I’m trying to let the adrenaline come down right now," Petrovic told Golf Channel after his round on Sunday. "I came off, my hands were shaking coming off the last hole I was so pumped up. If I had a cup of coffee right now I’d shoot right out of this chair." Eventually, Jonas Blixt took home the title and Petrovic finished in a second-place tie. That moved Petrovic from No. 200 to No. 132 on the money list -- well within striking distance of the top 125. Petrovic eagled the par-5 ninth hole after his second shot finished 3 feet from the hole. He also birdied Nos. 14 and 15 -- chipping in on the 15th -- bogeyed No. 16 and birdied the 17th. Petrovic said he was just working to finish well at CordeValle and then get into the field at next week's McGladrey Classic -- where he was an alternate. He said he played his final round just like a Monday qualifier. After his final round, Petrovic qualified for next week. "I kind of attacked it like I was playing a one-and-done, Monday qualifier," he said. "It kept me focused all day and it seemed to work."

Tim Petrovic is without a doubt playing the best golf of his season at the Frys.com Open. Petrovic, whose lone PGA TOUR win came at the 2005 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, was tied for the lead in the early going of the final round at CordeValle. His best finish this season is a T16 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in February -- his only top 25 in 14 events. But Petrovic is coming off a T14 at the Web.com Tour's WNB Golf Classic last month. With a front-nine, 5-under 30 -- which included an eagle 3 from 3 feet on the ninth hole -- Petrovic jumped to the top of the leaderboard. Petrovic's last top 10 on the PGA TOUR came at the 2010 Memorial presented by Nationwide Insurance. Petrovic entered this week at No. 200 on the money list. You can follow his round here.

The first day of play at Annandale Golf Club ended much like the early wave -- with a slew of golfers tied atop the leaderboard. The 7 under mark, reach five times in the early going, was matched once in the afternoon and those six players will share the overnight lead after one round of play at the Viking Classic. Brendon de Jonge, Tim Petrovic, Bobby Gates, Sunghoon Kang, John Mallinger and Peter Lonard each posted opening 65s with Gates being the only player to reach the mark in the afternoon. Scott Piercy briefly reached 8 under, but surrendered four shots before closing with a birdie and a 5-under 67. He’s still one of 47 players at 4 under or better following 18 holes of play. Six past champions of the Viking Classic teed it up Thursday at Annandale Golf Club with Cameron Beckman and D.J. Trahan leading the way after 4-under 68s. Will MacKenzie (69) and Heath Slocum (70) are also in red numbers.

This week’s Kodak Challenge hole is the 347-yard, par-4 17th at TPC San Antonio. This is the second year that the course has hosted the Valero Texas Open, so there’s not much data on which players you should expect to do well at the 17th.

But here’s a look at the players in this week’s field who fared the best last year at the 17th.

For more Kodak Challenge, click here | Tour of holes

17TH AT TPC SAN ANTONIO – 2010 LEADERS

Player	Relation to Par	Rounds	Eagles	Birdies	Pars	Bogeys
J.B. Holmes	3 under	4	-	3	1	-
Garth Mulroy	3 under	4	-	3	1	-
Tim Petrovic	3 under	4	-	3	1	-

 

A LOOK AT THE 17TH

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Tim Petrovic withdrew after playing nine holes of the second round on Saturday, citing an illness.

Petrovic had opened with an even par 71. He clearly struggled on Saturday when he wasn’t feeling well, though, making one birdie, one par, six bogeys and one double bogey before making the early exit.

The story of the morning wave and very likely the day was the display that Roland Thatcher put on at the Magnolia Course, shooting a 63 that has him atop the leaderboard at 16 under and four shots clear of his closest competitor.

Thatcher has just one top-10 this season and needs to finish in at least second place by himself to get inside the top 125 on the money list (he’s currently 179th with just one-top 10 this year). Friday, he hit 15 of 18 greens and took just 24 putts on his way to nine birdies and no bogeys.

”Pun intended, I wouldn't mind being referred to as Cinderella for the week,” said Thatcher, who admitted that he was okay with going to the second stage of q-school next week. Obviously his goals have now changed.

“After these first two rounds that I'd like to skip second stage finals if I can,” Thatcher said. “I'm hoping to have a nice long off season and start the year early next year.”

STROUD’S STRONG FINISH: Thatcher’s playing partner the first two rounds was Chris Stroud, who began the day with the lead after an opening-round 62. Friday, he didn’t come close to matching that with a 70, but three straight birdies to close out his round left him within reach of Thatcher.

“Any time you finish birdie, birdie, birdie on this golf course, the Magnolia, you're really happy,” said Stroud, who seven birdies -- and four bogeys -- despite hitting just eight fairways. “I’m just trying to get the ball on the green because I'm putting so well, and I just hung in there, got myself on the fairway the last three holes and got it on the green and made three great putts.”

PETROVIC’S ACE: At just 6 under through two rounds, Tim Petrovic isn’t exactly in contention, but he did have the shot of the day so far with a hole-in-one on the par-3 12th on the Palm Course.

Petrovic said he’s made 12 aces but thought this was his first on the PGA TOUR. “And it's been 10 years,” he added. “I think my last one was in 2000.

Actually, it wasn’t his first ace on TOUR. That came in 2004 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in 2004.

“But I’m not complaining because I've had three double eagles out here,” Petrovic added. “I think I'm the only guy out here with three double eagles.” -- Brian Wacker

Tim Petrovic hits a guidewire with his tee shot on the par-4 10th and was able to re-tee without a penalty:

Tim Petrovic dropped a 6-footer for birdie on the par-5 18th, this week’s Kodak Challenge hole, to move to 12-under-par and within two of Rickie Fowler’s lead.

The 18th has played much more difficult here in Round 2 -- currently ranking ninth, compared to 14th on Thursday -- with a scoring average of 5.015 and just 12 birdies so far. Thursday, it played to a scoring average of 4.871 with 42 birdies. -- Chuck Beeler

There is now a five-way tie for the lead, with Tim Petrovic being the latest player to join that growing group.

Petrovic, who shot a 3-under 68 on Thursday, is a bogey-free 3 under for his round through 11 holes.

At 6 under, he joins Ben Crane, Stewart Cink, Tiger Woods and Vaughn Taylor as co-leader. Crane and Cink are also on the course, while Woods (12:10 p.m. ET) and Taylor (12:43 p.m. ET) getting set to tee off.

Petrovic has one TOUR victory to his credit, the 2005 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. His best finish this year is a tie for fifth at the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley.

Having missed the cut in three of his four previous starts, he’s in no danger now of missing this weekend.