3 Jack Recap: Kirk Wins at Rain-Soaked Colonial

Chris Kirk Wins Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

  • 16 players were within 3 shots of the lead, but it was Kirk prevailing on what looked to be a shaky par putt on the 18th.
  • This is Kirk’s 4th victory on the PGA Tour.
  • Tournament officials had to play chess with the forecasted heavy rains to get the event completed.  The final round was played lift, clean and place through the green and the players went out in threesomes.

Kevin Na held the 54 hole lead, yet on a day the scoreboard was littered with red numbers, the final group of Na, Charley Hoffman, and Ian Poulter couldn’t produce a round under par.

Monty Defends Senior PGA Championship

  • Colin Montgomerie successfully defended his Senior PGA Championship crown at the French Lick Resort course.
  • Monty won by four strokes (including his bogey on the final hole) over Esteban Toledo.
  • Only five players finished under par on the difficult Pete Dye course.

I made it home for lunch during the first round in time to hear Gary Koch say Monty “finally got his major” referencing last year’s Senior PGA Championship win, the first major of his career.  Sorry Gary, these are senior majors.  Senior majors are not the same as PGA Tour majors and never will be.

Byeong-hun An Wins BMW PGA Championship

  •  An’s final round 65 secured a six stroke victory over Thongchai Jaidee and Miguel Angel Jimenez and set a new tournament record of 21 under par.
  • This is An’s first European Tour victory.  He was the 2009 U.S. Amateur Champion.
  • Along with a three-year exemption on the European Tour, the win earns An a spot in the U.S. Open next month at Chambers Bay.  He will be one of a small group of participants with experience playing Chambers Bay.  An advanced to the semi-finals there in the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship.

Rory Misses the Cut

  • 71-78 left McIlroy 15 shots behind BMW second round leader Francisco Molinari and outside of the cut line.
  • Rory’s last four events: win, missed cut, win, missed cut.  As if he wasn’t already the favorite at the Irish Open.

Next up: The PGA Tour stays in Texas for the AT&T Byron Nelson.  Brendan Todd is the defending champion.  Rory McIlroy hosts the Irish Open on the European Tour.  After a week off, the LPGA has the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, where Stacy Lewis defends.

Have a good week.

(photo courtesy of Tom Pennington/Getty Images)