Jimmy Hazen takes the 2010 Providence Open
PROVIDENCE: Jimmy Hazen’s charmed round began on the par three seventh hole. Coming off consecutive birdies Hazen hit a 6i that hopped, stopped, and spun into the cup. The ace gave him a one stroke lead over first round leader Jimmy Lytle.
“As soon as I hit it I knew it was good the whole way” Hazen said, but looking up on the elevated green he didn’t know he’d made the tournament’s only ace until he saw the gallery go wild.
Hazen chipped in for birdie from off the tenth green to keep pace with the leaders, but he saved his most dramatic save for the 18th. In the right rough needing to make birdie to force a playoff with Jesse Larson, Hazen sent his approach long and left leaving himself with a better look at the cart path than the pin. But just like holes six and ten his pitch found the bottom of the cup. Larson, looking on from the putting green, watched the final group come in hoping his final round 65 would hold off Hazen and Lytle.
Lytle had an uphill chip from 20 feet finish just short, denying him a spot in the playoff. His -11 two-day total was good for a solo third finish.
Hazen and Larson returned to the 18th tee for a sudden death playoff where both players pushed drives right. Hazen had nearly the same shot he hit long on the 36th hole and this time his approach came up just short. Larson’s approach from the trees missed left and his chip ran five feet past the hole. Both players had uphill putts for par to extend the tournament, Hazen buried his eight footer while Larson’s shorter putt burned the top edge giving Hazen another New England area tournament win this season.
The win puts Hazen in the driver’s seat for the second half of the Qualifying Tournament this weekend at Crestwood Country Club. Eighteen pros are competing for one paid entry into this fall’s PGA Tour Qualifying School, Larson and Hazen will go to Crestwood with a one stroke lead on the field.
Hazen shot an opening 67 that put him in a five-way tie for second place, but in an event Tournament Director Dave Adamonis Jr called a "shootout" it was going to take another low round to take the title. His second day 65 gives Hazen another mantle piece to put next to the Massachusetts Open championship trophy he won in June.
