DeLaet’s nine birdies aids Alberta’s flood relief fund
Canadian finishes third at Travelers
Graham DeLaet made a lot of money at the Travelers Championship. He also spent a lot of money.
The golfer from Weyburn, Sask., pledged to donate $1,000 per birdie and $2,500 for each eagle he recorded on the weekend during the PGA tournament in Cromwell, Conn., to flood relief efforts for southern Alberta. DeLaet recorded nine birdies en route to a third-place finish — his career-best performance on the PGA Tour.
Journeyman Ken Duke made a 2-1/2-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Chris Stroud and win his first PGA Tour event. Both players finished at 12-under 268, one shot ahead of DeLaet.
DeLaet capped his final round with a birdie on the 18th hole for a 1-under 69. On Sunday, he had three birdies to go along with six on Saturday to raise $9,000. PGA Tour Canada also pledged to match DeLaet’s contributions, and with donations from ATB Financial and Saskatoon businessman L. David Dube, $36,000 had been raised for Alberta communities devastated by record flooding.
“Hopefully it puts a small dent in what they need, but our hearts are still with them,” DeLaet said following his round Sunday.
The ATB Financial Classic, a PGA Tour Canada event in Calgary, was cancelled Friday due to the flooding. DeLaet won the ATB in Calgary in 2009 during his last season on PGA Tour Canada before making it to the PGA Tour. He won the order of merit and player-of-the-year honours in that year as well.
With the words “For Alberta” written on his cap Sunday, DeLaet headed into the final round in a three-way tie for first place with Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman.
The Canadian was followed extensively during his final round by CBS, which featured a segment devoted to images from the flooding in Calgary.
“It’s just a shame what’s happening up there — a lot of people affected, (a) disaster situation,” DeLaet said.
DeLaet collected $414,800 for the third-place finish. The weekend performance increased DeLaet’s earnings this season to $933,587 and $2.9 million in his career. Duke pocketed a little more than $1 million.
Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch shot 70 to finish at 1 under in a tie for 51st.
Duke needed 187 starts on the PGA Tour to get his first win, securing it at a tournament that is building a reputation for such breakthroughs.
“Yeah, it’s been a long time,” said Duke, who turned pro in 1994. “I’ve been on the Canadian tour, the mini tours, Asian Tour, South American Tour, all of them — and it’s just great to be a part of this big family on the PGA Tour.”
Duke, who came in ranked 144th in the world, is the sixth golfer in eight years to get his first PGA Tour win here, joining J.J. Henry (2006), Hunter Mahan (2007), Bubba Watson (2010), Fredrik Jacobsen (2011) and Marc Leishman last year.
Justin Rose followed his U.S. Open win by shooting 6-under for this tournament. He was in contention, with two birdies on his first seven holes, but didn’t get another until the final hole and made three bogeys. He said fatigue was a factor.
“I’m still able to put one foot in front of the other,” he said. “I still feel OK, but my guess is there’s just a little bit of sharpness that I might be lacking.”
No player has gone back-toback after capturing the U.S. Open since 1997, when Ernie Els won the Buick Classic.