|
• Scott Hoch and Kenny Perry posted a second-consecutive 12-under 60 to conclude The Shark Shootout at 31-under 185, four strokes ahead of their nearest competitors - Ryder Cup teammates Boo Weekley and J.B. Holmes (60).
• Hoch and Perry's winning score of 31-under 185 fell three strokes shy of the all-time tournament record of 182, set by Fred Couples/Raymond Floyd in 1990.
• Hoch/Perry went on to win Sunday after entering the day with a four-stroke lead, erasing the memories of having lost the 36-hole lead on the final day of the 2003 Shark Shootout.
• At 53 years and 20 days, Scott Hoch becomes the oldest winner of The Shark Shootout. Raymond Floyd previously held the record when he won the 1993 event at the age of 51 years, 2 months and 17 days.
• Scott Hoch's victory (his first in the event) comes in his 12th start at The Shark Shootout, while Kenny Perry has now won twice in six starts. He teamed with John Huston to win the tournament in 2005.
• For their efforts, Hoch and Perry split the $730,000 first-place prize, with each taking home $365,000.
• The round of the week was turned in on Sunday by the team of Greg Norman/Camilo Villegas with a 15-under 57, helping them to a third-place finish. This marks the second consecutive year that Villegas has turned in the week's best round. In 2007, he teamed with Chris DiMarco for a final-round 59 to finish T3.
• While Norman/Villegas came up just two shots shy of the tournament record in the scramble format, the tournament host (playing in his 20th Shootout) is still well-represented in the record books. Three teams have posted the score of 17-under 55 in the format, including Peter Jacobsen/John Cook (1998), Norman/Nick Price (1993) and Norman/Steve Elkington (2005).
• Fred Funk, the playing partner of Chris DiMarco, had to withdraw prior to the start of the final round with a knee injury. He was replaced by Ian Baker-Finch, but the team's score did not count. Funk and DiMarco split last place money of $135,000.
• After struggling the first two days, defending champions Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia turned in an impressive 10-under 62 on Sunday to finish in 11th place. Only two teams have successfully defend their title at The Shark Shootout: Brad Faxon/Scott McCarron (2000-01) and Hank Kuehne/Jeff Sluman (2003-04).
• First-time participants and their respective finish this week: Boo Weekley (2nd), Steve Stricker (T5), Graeme McDowell (9th) and Ian Poulter (9th). A total of seven players have won the Shootout in their first attempt: Mark O'Meara (1989), Curtis Strange (1989), Fred Couples (1990), Scott McCarron (1997), Hank Kuehne (2003), Rod Pampling (2006) and Woody Austin (2007).
• The teams of Scott Hoch/Kenny Perry (65-60-60) and Nick Price/Jeff Sluman (64-66-62) were the only two teams to play all 54 holes without a bogey this week.
• Sunday's format was a Scramble, with each player hitting a drive on every hole and then selecting the best of the two. Each player than played a second shot from the spot where the selected drive rested and the best second shot was then selected. The process was repeated until the hole was completed.
|