It's Gay's Time Again in Memphis

It's Gay's Time Again in Memphis

By Andy Reistetter, 6/14/09

Brian Gay opened with a 6-under par 64 on Thursday and followed the good start with three solid rounds of 66 to win the St. Jude Classic.

As a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR this year he now becomes eligible to play in the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black this coming week.

On Thursday he was not counting on playing in the upcoming second major of the year.

"I didn't even think about obviously winning here would be two wins between (the two U.S. Opens); somebody mentioned it I think yesterday (Wednesday), but (I) didn't really think about it. (I) just figured I would have next week off."

After barely missing out on the Masters he won the next week at Hilton Head in the Verizon Heritage. Along the way he set tournament records with a 10-stroke margin of victory and posting a total score of 20-under par.

This week his margin of victory was only five strokes but his timing was better.

"I just felt like I had to go out and play golf. If I won, obviously I would get a chance to go play. I played well and won, I knew I would go (to the U.S. Open)."

Gay is the PGA TOUR’s ironman, as he is playing in his 307th PGA TOUR event since the start of 2000, the most of any player on TOUR during that period. That's an average of over 30 events per year. Though it seems to have come at a cost.

Since winning Gay has been battling some health issues. "I had a rib out and spasms in my back. My neck kind of locked up right before -- the last night at the Byron (Nelson) before I went over to Fort Worth, and had that treated all week at Colonial and some last week at home."

Q-School graduate Jimmy Walker opened with a 65 and was alone in second place. He would shoot 82 on Saturday but come back with a Sunday 68 to finish T73.

World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Jose Maria Olazabal was among five players who shot a Thursday 66. It would be his only round in the 60s and the 43-year old two-time Masters winner would finish T43.

Last year's champion Justin Leonard posted a 6-over-par 76 in defense of his St. Jude Classic title. He would follow with a 69 and miss the cut.

The second round was suspended due to weather and concluded on Saturday morning.

Gay's 10-under par 64-66 start was one stroke better than Robert Allenby (67-64) who lost in a playoff to Leonard last year.

Bryce Molder (69-63) and Vaughn Taylor (67-65) were two strokes behind Gay after 36 holes.

The cut came at even par 140. Notable golfers along with Leonard to miss the cut include Boo Weekley who returned from a shoulder injury; Michael Allen who won the Senior PGA Championship; struggling Sergio Garcia and defending British Open and PGA Champion Padraig Harrington.   

Gay was confident of his position at the midpoint of the tournament. "I want to be ahead. I did pretty good being ahead last time (at the Verizon Heritage).

His third round 66 maintained a one stroke advantage. Molder winless on tour shot 65 and was alone in second place. Allenby looking for his first win since 2001 shot 68 and was three strokes back. Taylor shot 69 but would follow with a Sunday 75 to finish T29.

Paul Goydos would rally with a Saturday 64 to move into fourth place alone.

Gay shot his third consecutive 66 on Sunday to post a total of 18-under par and won by five strokes.

With a birdie putt, only his 100th putt of the week dropping on No. 18 green he acknowledged his love of the short grass at TPC Southwind.

"The greens are perfect. I love the Bermuda grass. You read them right, you make a lot of putts. (They are) very true and (I) grew up on it. I always enjoy putting on bermuda."

David Toms would shoot a Sunday 65 and tie Bryce Molder (70) for second place.

Molder had his previous best career finish, a third place at Reno-Tahoe in 2001 in his first PGA Tour start.

"So you kind of think this game is not too hard and here I am. It took eight years or however long (eight years later, I'm getting) I'm finally better (than) that. It's been a long journey. Been some ugly days, and there's still going to be in some ugly days, but I feel like there's a lot more good days ahead, and I'm excited about this week."

"When you're in my category (Nationwide Tour Graduate), just fighting to get in tournaments. Playing well gets you in more tournaments. It's not even just the money itself, might give another start."

John Senden shot a Sunday 64 to tie Goydos (68) and Allenby (69) for fourth place six strokes behind Gay.

Like Molder, Gay knows the school of "hard knocks."

"I had a nice career at (the University of) Florida, and I expected to go right on the Tour, and Q-School slapped me in the face a few times.

"It took me five times to get through there. And (I) played a bunch of mini tours and Golden Bear Tour and Asia for a few months. Then the Nike Tour one year and got out here and been out here since."

"It definitely was tougher to get out here than I thought."

"You realize how such a fine line there is between winning and maybe missing a cut or not playing well."

Gay, a wire-to-wire winner for the second time in his last five starts, is now becoming known as a great front runner and a great closer.

With this victory he becomes the fifth player with a pair of victories in 2009, joining Zach Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

"I think the hardest part is believing when you're out there that you can do it, and it's hard to believe that until you actually do it."

It's Gay again this time winning in Memphis.