Nationwide Tour 08 - Arjun Atwal grabbed 2009 PGA Tour Card

[ajay]

Chattanooga Classic presented by Black Creek

Arjun Atwal and Webb Simpson are the two front runners on Sunday to win this tournament. A lot is riding for both golfers - Arjun is 34th on the money list and a victory today can earn him a PGA Tour card for 2009 while Simpson, ranked 86th on the money list after playing only five tournaments, can get within inches of securing his card with his win.

Arjun will be safely in top 25 even with 2nd place prize money of around 50K. However, Simpson is in much more tough position. Even if he wins the tournament, he'll get into lower 30s, (where Arjun is currently) and he will need to repeat this effort in the next two tournaments another.

Time to have a cool head and win for the first time in US for AA.

Oh! I did't realize that Arjun is yet to win in US soil. Go Arjun!!

[BSharma]

Chattanooga Classic presented by Black Creek

Arjun Atwal landed himself in trouble at the par-four 16th hole and he made a double bogey.

Play by Play for the Par 4, 446 yards 16th Hole
Shot 1 from the tee box
Shot 2 from the fairway bunker
Shot 3 from the fairway
Shot 4 from the green side bunker
Shot 5 from the green
Shot 6 from the green (in the hole)

Meanwhile, Simpson made par and the two golfers are tied for first place with two holes left to play. Come on Arjun.

[ajay]

Arjun Atwal just made a double bogey on 16th With this he is now tied with Simpson at -23 and only two more holes are left.

Well, the contest has now become more interesting and its going to the wire. C'mon Arjun! Get a birdie right here on par 3 17th.

While Arjun and Simpson play the 17th, the next nearest player is 3 strokes behind at -20 who has already completed his 4th round. So more or less it is decided that Arjun and Simpson will take the top two places assuming no meltdown.

Par 3 17th, both Arjun and Simpson are on green with their first stroke. Arjun putts first ( that means his ball was further than Simpson). No one makes birdie. And its par for both of them. And they go to a easy birdie hole, the par 5 18th. No room for error now. Arjun must get birdie and even then it may not be enough. Let's see what happens.

[BSharma]

Arjun and Simpson made pars on the par-3 17th hole and they now head to the last hole - a par-5.

[ajay]

Bhushan, by the way are you watching it on TV (I'm not). If yes, can you you give some more detail.

Now the 18th is like a playoff. whoever wins the hole, also wins the tournament. If they tie th18th, the playoff gets extended.
Arjun is currently 1 over for the day and Simpson is 2 under for the day. Arjun has so far an eagle, 2 birdies, 1 double bogey and 3 bogeys. While Simpson has 4 birdies and 2 bogeys in his final round.

Arjun plays his 2nd stroke from the intermediate rough.

[BSharma]

Ajay,

The Golf Channel is showing the PGA tournament and not the Nationwide tournament. I am follwing the PGA Tour website.

[BSharma]

Arjun's tee shot on the 18th hole landed in intermediate rough while Simpson's ball stayed in the fairway.

BTW, Golf Channel showed Daniel Chopra make a long birdie putt. He is the defending champion, but it is unlikely that he will win today.

[ajay]

Arjun gets a birdie
But Simpson is yet to finish his hole
I guess Simpson missed his birdie shot. So quite likely Arjun wins!!!!!

Nope! Simpson also birdies! So they goto playoff hole(s).

They'll play the 18th again.

[BSharma]

Simpson's second shot lands on the green and so he will have a birdie or an eagle chance.

Update:

Arjun makes a birdie and he can win today if Simpson misses his birdie putt.

Update:

Simpson makes a birdie and the two are tied in regulation play. Off to the play-off.

[Prem]

Arjun BIRDIES athe 18th and Webb Simpson does the same and we are into play-offs.

[BSharma]

Arjun has made three birdies and one par on the par-5 18th hole in his four rounds while Simpson has two birdies and two pars.

Here is the write up of the 527 yard long 18th hole:

Home - If there haven't been enough memorable holes already, the "go for broke in two" par-5 18th will do the trick. A large pond frames the left side of the drive zone while Black Creek crosses the line of play and guards the right side of the green, making the "draw/fade" character of the hole apparent. A long drive will afford the player the chance to hit the green in two with a long, accurate shot, while the crowd watches appreciatively from the clubhouse porch.

[ajay]

They have yet to tee off for the playoff 18th hole, but I've to leave right now. Best of luck Arjun!!

[BSharma]

Chattanooga Classic presented by Black Creek

Play-off:

Arjun hits first and gets his ball in the fairway. Simpson's ball lands in the fairway also.

Arjun makes a birdie.

Simpson's second shot lands in green side bunker. Can Arjun win now?

Simpson gets his ball on the green from the bunker and now makes a birdie attempt to tie Arjun.

The website has not updated but it looks like Arjun has WON.

[BSharma]

It's official now.

Arjun Atwal has won.

[Prem]

CONGRATS ARJUN for a fantastic win.
Hope this is the first of many on the US Tour.
Real drama at the end there.
Arjun had a comfortable 3 shot lead with 4 holes left to play.
But he managed to mess it up but again regrouped to win in the playoff.
Very credible to do that after the mishaps as the momentum was with Webb Simpson.