Sixteen players fired subpar rounds to start the Indiana PGA
Professional Championship. With so many low scores, Ivan Foster’s 5-over 76
seemed out of contention. But he proved that assumption very wrong by shooting
64 and 65 to make his way to 8-under overall and force a playoff with John DalCorobbo,
who carded 71-66-68=205 (-8).
Dal Corobbo began the final round at 5-under and only one
shot back off the leaders David Von Hoffmann and Jeff Marsh, and his steady
play throughout the day allowed him to gradually fight his way into the lead. A
4-foot putt on the 4th green took him to 6-under, and another short
putt at 9 allowed him to turn 7-under. “All in all I only missed one green all
day,” explained DalCorobbo. “I’m very happy with how I hit it. To prepare and
perform and be able to execute it was great.” His execution of approach shots
gave him many opportunities at birdie and kept him from having to make any
saves for par or to avoid costly bogeys.
His steady play and opportunities to make birdies became
even more crucial once Foster started making his move. By the turn, Foster was
6-under, and by 12 he was 8-under. At 17, a 7-under DalCorobbo knew Foster was
in the clubhouse at 8-under. Once again, John executed a beautiful shot at the
par-3, 17th to stick it to seven feet. He sunk the putt and headed
to the par-5, 18th with confidence.
The 18th tee was playing directly into the wind,
making going for the green in 2 challenging. DalCorobbo’s drive landed in the
right rough but fortunately short of the water’s edge. His lie and distance
forced him to take the safe play into the fairway on his second shot. Despite
an opportunity to make birdie and end the championship right there, a par
forced a playoff with Foster.
On the second hole of the playoff, DalCorobbo once again hit
a precise iron shot to within seven feet of the flag. Foster left himself a
30-footer. Knowing how makeable his opponent’s putt was, Foster was determined not
to leave it short; the ball hit the hole with some speed and popped out a foot
away. DalCorobbo made the clutch putt to earn his second PGA Professional
Championship (2007). “The putt was virtually straight. I just told myself to roll it
like I was a kid again like my son Camden who doesn’t focus on technique. I
just tried to put it on the line and with the speed,” he said. “It’s great to
be a two-time winner of this event. To be recognized as the best player in the
Section is a tremendous honor.”
He also advances to the 2012 National Professional
Championship, which will be his 13th appearance at the national
level. Indiana was awarded 5 spots in the National event. Tim Frazier, Quinn
Griffing and Bill Pollert will join DalCorobbo and Foster at the 2012
championship.
See complete results here.