This article is part of our Weekly PGA Recap series.
Last September, at the time Tom Watson was making his ill-fated Ryder Cup captain's picks, Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel were the hottest things going. They each had just won a FedEx Cup playoff event, yet were overlooked by Watson in favor of, yawn, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan.
"Webb's a good player, but I think it would have been easier to pick Chris than not to pick Chris," Paul Azinger, the last winning U.S. captain, said at the time. "He's won twice this year. He is hot and I like hot players."
We all know what happened: Watson's picks flat-lined, he was universally panned and Europe won the Cup. But here's what also happened: Kirk and Horschel didn't follow up their playoff success and had meandered through almost two-thirds of the 2014-15 season (yes, the golf season is already more than halfway done).
Horschel is still somewhat aimless, but Kirk finally straightened himself out -- specifically with a knee-knocking seven-footer for par on the 72nd hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational on Sunday at Colonial.
Kirk held off Jordan Spieth, Jason Bohn and Brandt Snedeker by a stroke to capture his fourth career title and, as Azinger advised, his third in the past two years. Only Rory McIlroy and Jimmy Walker have more.
The former Georgia Bulldog took home the Hogan Award, awarded to the top collegiate golfer, in 2007 and said the tournament on Ben Hogan's home course is his "favorite" on the PGA Tour.
Last September, at the time Tom Watson was making his ill-fated Ryder Cup captain's picks, Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel were the hottest things going. They each had just won a FedEx Cup playoff event, yet were overlooked by Watson in favor of, yawn, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan.
"Webb's a good player, but I think it would have been easier to pick Chris than not to pick Chris," Paul Azinger, the last winning U.S. captain, said at the time. "He's won twice this year. He is hot and I like hot players."
We all know what happened: Watson's picks flat-lined, he was universally panned and Europe won the Cup. But here's what also happened: Kirk and Horschel didn't follow up their playoff success and had meandered through almost two-thirds of the 2014-15 season (yes, the golf season is already more than halfway done).
Horschel is still somewhat aimless, but Kirk finally straightened himself out -- specifically with a knee-knocking seven-footer for par on the 72nd hole to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational on Sunday at Colonial.
Kirk held off Jordan Spieth, Jason Bohn and Brandt Snedeker by a stroke to capture his fourth career title and, as Azinger advised, his third in the past two years. Only Rory McIlroy and Jimmy Walker have more.
The former Georgia Bulldog took home the Hogan Award, awarded to the top collegiate golfer, in 2007 and said the tournament on Ben Hogan's home course is his "favorite" on the PGA Tour.
"I was as nervous as I've ever been today, for sure," Kirk told reporters. Those up-and-downs on the last two holes, and especially making the putt on 18, is pretty sweet."
Kirk birdied the par-4 15th to take the lead at 12-under, then parred out, overcoming wayward drives on 17 and 18.
Kirk opened his season by tying for fourth as the defending champion at the McGladrey Classic and tying for 14th at the WGC-HSBC Champions. After that, he went more than four months without a top-25 in a full-field event. Kirk showed signs with a top-10 at another Texas tournament, in San Antonio in March. But where he really showed he was rounding into his former form was at The Players Championship two weeks ago. Kirk held the 54-hole lead before ballooning to a final-round 75 to slide into a tie for 13th.
Three strong rounds were enough to indicate that whatever was missing from Kirk's game had been found. He will move to a career-high No. 17 in the latest world rankings.
And, eight months after being bypassed for the Ryder Cup team, the 30-year-old Kirk now sits in fourth place in the President's Cup standings, ensuring he won't have to rely on captain Jay Haas to be a part of the U.S. squad that will travel to Korea in early October.
MONDAY TAKEAWAY
Jordan Spieth
After Spieth birdied No. 13 to get to 11-under, it sure looked as if the Texan would win a hideous plaid sport coat to go along with his cool green jacket. But he uncharacteristically hit a poor approach on 15, three-jacked 16 for a bogey and hit another poor approach on 17. By draining a 20-footer for birdie on 18, Spieth appeared to get a second chance, but Kirk's clutch putt on 18 nixed it.
Brandt Snedeker
Playing alongside Kirk and Rory Sabbatini, Snedeker birdied four of the first seven holes, then Nos. 10 and 11 to move to 12-under and sole possession of the lead. But he three-putted the par-3 13th to fall back. Snedeker had birdie putts on the final five holes but couldn't sink a one, including a 14-footer on 18 that would've put incredible pressure on Kirk. The end had to be disappointing for him, but it was by far his best showing since winning Pebble Beach almost four months ago. So perhaps Snedeker, like Kirk, has found something in his game.
Jason Bohn
The 42-year-old Alabaman is enjoying his best season on tour, at 36th in the point standings with his second runner-up and fourth top-10 of 2014-15. And he came oh-so-close to securing his third career title, blistering Colonial with a Sunday 63 that included six straight birdies on the front nine. And it sure looked as if it was going to be a 62 until a 28-footer for birdie on 18 somehow didn't fall. Interestingly, Bohn was not drafted in the RotoWire League despite being 70th in points last season. He's always been overlooked. But maybe no more. Unfortunately for his RotoWire owner and all the others, Bohn is skipping this week's Byron Nelson.
Pat Perez
If not for Bohn, Perez would've had the round of the day, shooting a final-round 64 to soar 19 spots up the leaderboard to tie for fifth. The 39-year-old Arizonan may very well be headed for his top season on tour, as he now sits 46th in points. Perez has made six straight cuts, with five of them top-20 cashes, including T17 at The Players. As with Bohn, he is skipping this week's tour stop, no doubt disappointing his owners.
Ian Poulter
The tour's most overrated golfer by virtue of Rickie Fowler's win at The Players, Poulter was in the mix all week in an effort to shake that tag. But playing in the final group on Sunday, he could muster only an even-par 70, finishing tied for fifth, two strokes off the lead. The Englishman has made nine straight cuts and missed only one all season, leaving him a respectable 40th in the point standings. Plus, he tied for sixth at the Masters. So whether his owners think he's overrated is really all that matters in the fantasy world; right now, Poulter appears capable of contending any week, perhaps even this week when he tees it up at the Nelson. He moved from No. 31 to 24 in the OWGR with his showing at Colonial.
Kevin Na
Two weeks after tying for sixth at The Players, Na had the plaid jacket in his sights as Colonial's outright leader following the second and third rounds. But after birdieing the first two holes on Sunday, he stumbled to a two-over 72 to tie for 10th. This is a golfer who is 23rd in the point standings and 21st in the world rankings, yet remarkably is stuck on one win in 288 career PGA Tour starts. Na has made 14-of-16 cuts with a whopping nine top-25s and six top-10s, but always seems to be done in by one fatal swing. On Sunday, it happened on No. 9, where, after a perfect tee ball, Na rinsed his approach from 133 yards for a double-bogey. His owners sure are looking for him to at some point close the deal. As is Na.
Rory Sabbatini
At 39, Sabbatini's best days are behind him. But he's still capable of having quite a few good and close-to-great days. The Fort Worth resident tied for 10th at Colonial, three strokes off the lead. Sabbatini birdied two of the first three holes, then parred out, unable to make a putt. If there's ever been a feast-or-famine year on tour, Sabbatini is living it: He's made only 9-of-17 cuts, but he's got eight top-25s, four of them top-10s. Sabbatini is 62nd in the point standings and, despite his all-or-nothing nature, his owners have to be pleased with that.
Russell Knox
The Scot followed an opening 71 with 67-69-67 to climb into a tie for 24th, his seventh top-25 of the season. Knox also has a pair of third-place showings, and he quietly sits at No. 32 in the point standings. Imagine if you drafted Knox and he ended up in the Tour Championship. That would be quite a coup.
Ryan Palmer
It may be nothing. It may be something. Palmer missed the cut at Colonial, his second straight MC after going all season with only one prior. The Texan was enjoying a top-flight season, but hasn't had a top-25 in two months, since San Antonio. He's supposed to play well in tournaments in his home state. Like we said, it may be nothing. But if he misses the cut at the Nelson, then it's something.
Louis Oosthuizen
Oh, Oosty. The South African withdrew before the final round with a neck injury, which may or may not be related to his well-chronicled back trouble. It's always a gamble when you own Oosthuizen. He had been having a good season for so few starts - four top-10s in 11 events - but his game has been leaking for a few weeks now. Oosthuizen tied for 69th at The Players and missed the cut at the Wells Fargo before Colonial. Right now, he's still in the field for the Nelson. Even if he tees it up on Thursday, how confident can his owners be?
