Just logging on after spending the day at The Golf Club at Cuscowilla in Eatonton, Georgia, with LBG Gallery star Collin Neeman. Collin has just turned 21 and is headed for The Gateway minitour wars in West Palm Beach, Florida, next week.
After 54, here's the good news from the Puerto Rico Open:
Kraft put together his third straight sub-70 round to start a tournament, something he hadn't accomplished since the Tucson Open in 2002. That's also the tournament where Kraft says he contracted Valley fever, which attacked his lungs and set his career back for several seasons.
"I'm tickled pink where I'm at," Kraft said. "You never know what'll happen."
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Greg Kraft shot a 70 to outlast Bo Van Pelt on the final holes, finishing 14 under for a one-shot victory at the inaugural Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular on Sunday.
Jerry Kelly (70), at No. 63 the highest-ranked golfer here, and Van Pelt (72) were second at Trump International Golf Club. Briny Baird (72) and Kevin Stadler (67) were another shot behind.
Kraft won the Deposit Guarantee Classic in Mississippi 15 years ago. Since it took place the same weekend as the Masters, however, it didn't count as an "official" win on the PGA TOUR.
The world's best may have again been elsewhere for Kraft's latest success, playing in the World Golf Championships-CA Championships in Florida, but this time his success is bona fide.
Kraft earned $630,000 -- more than he's made on the PGA TOUR combined since 2003 -- and has secured playing privileges through 2010. He had played only two other TOUR events this season, his best finish before now a tie for 19th at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico, which also came the week of a WGC tournament.
Last May Yoda posted this regarding Gregs improvement. Greg and I began our work together in mid-April at the Nationwide's Athens Regional Foundation Classic in Bogart, Georgia. We continued it the following week at the Henrico County Open in Richmond, Virginia. I broke into a broad smile -- actually a LOL! -- when I read his text message to me a couple of days after our first session:
"Got my straight line baseline with my right forearm flying wedge."
Way to go Greg and cheers to a great comeback.
__________________
Bagger
1-H "Because of questions of all kinds, reams of additional detail must be made available - but separately, and probably endlessly." Homer Kelly
__________________ Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing.
No surprise to me after seeing such a determined student on the range at last years Henrico County Open. I've still got those dowels too....
I remember, Ed!
The tournament was staged last April in Richmond, Virginia, and as usual, I had traveled light to the event. On my way to the course, I stopped at the local Home Depot and picked up my basic training aids -- five dowels. You were there in the late afternoon after Wednesday's Pro-Am and also after Thursday's first round, as I used them to hammer out the basic concepts with Greg.
You were there on Friday, too, walking with his wife, Paula, and me, as we followed him in the second round. After the front nine, I hustled for my airplane and gave the dowels to you. Shoulda kept'em . . . they're a souvenir set now!
But don't expect Greg back for this year's tournament. No sir, no more Nationwide Tour events for Krafty. He's back where he belongs:
Hybrid Mode
