Taylor returns to scene of victory
B. C. golfer gained valuable PGA exemption with Sanderson title
There is no easy way to get from Malaysia to Mississippi. Nick Taylor discovered that earlier this week on his more than 20hour journey from Kuala Lumpur to Jackson, Miss., where his life changed one year ago.
“I flew from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul ( South Korea), to Atlanta and then to Jackson,” said an exhausted Taylor.
The Abbotsford, B. C., native competed in the CIMB Classic this past weekend in Malaysia and there was no way he was going to miss returning to defend the Sanderson Farms Championship title he won last November in just his fourth start as a PGA Tour regular.
He figures he’ll have the jet lag licked before Thursday’s opening round.
“I can’t believe how fast it ( the year since his win) has gone by,” he said over the phone from his Jackson hotel.
Taylor shot a final- round 66 and won by two shots over Jason Bohn, Boo Weekley and John Rollins. He cashed a winner’s cheque of US$ 720,000 and earned a twoyear exemption that leaves him fully exempt through the end of the 2016- 17 PGA Tour season.
He has that most valuable of commodities on the PGA Tour: some semblance of job security.
What Taylor remembers most about that magical week are all the putts he rolled in. He one- putted 10 of the first 16 greens in the final round.
“I putted well the whole week and made some big putts the last few holes,” Taylor said.
Two in particular stand out. On the driveable, par- 4 15th hole, Taylor laid up off the tee and hit a wedge to about 15 feet. He rolled that putt in for his third straight birdie to take control of the tournament. On the next hole, Taylor sailed a long birdie attempt seven feet by the hole. He then calmly rolled that putt in for par.
“That was a huge putt to keep it going,” Taylor said. “If I miss that maybe some doubt can creep in the last two holes. That was a big putt to make.”
The money Taylor made in Mississippi and the exemption it brought allowed Taylor and his wife Andie to buy a house in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they are based during the golf season.
“That win definitely changed a lot of aspects of my life, not just golf,” Taylor said.
Taylor is off to a positive start to the new PGA Tour season. He tied for 47th in Malaysia, where he improved every day and closed with a four- under 68.
The week before, Taylor tied for 25th in Las Vegas.