The seventh time proved to be the charm for Mardy Fish at the American Century Championship.
After five top-five finishes, the part-time Vero Beach resident finally got to lift the trophy Sunday in one of celebrity golf’s premier tournaments.
The 38-year-old Fish cemented his reputation as one of the best two-sport athletes in the U.S. He shot a course-record 63 in the second round, earning a record 37 points in the modified Stableford format, and held on for his first win in his seventh start in the Lake Tahoe event.
Fish was so pumped after the victory he jumped into Lake Tahoe, along with NBA great Steph Curry, boxer Canelo Alvarez and others to celebrate the victory.
It may have not been the same as an LPGA golfer jumping into Poppy’s Pond after winning the ANA Inspiration, but it showed how much this win meant to Fish.
“I’ve wanted to play well here for a long time,” Fish said Sunday. “It just doesn’t suit my eye very well, so I haven’t put it all together. And thankfully I put it all together yesterday, because it wasn’t today and it wasn’t Friday.”
Yes, Fish won the event with Saturday’s 63 that included 10 birdies on the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. Most of us don’t have 10 birdies during the summer.
The 63 eclipsed the course record held by Lee Trevino. Imagine that: A former tennis great beating out a World Golf Hall of Famer for the course record.
“It was a dream day, for sure,” said Fish, who had two runner-up finishes in the event. “I’ve been looking for one of these out here. I’ve been looking to play well.”
A decade ago, Fish became the top-ranked American tennis player in the world (No. 7) during a career in which he won six ATP titles and earned $7.4 million.
But Fish stepped away from the game in 2012 due to a heart condition and an anxiety disorder and retired in 2015. He remains active in the game as captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team while living in Los Angeles.
Fish returned to golf, a game he played growing up in Vero Beach. Even though he plays from a different side – he’s a right-hander in tennis, a left-hander in golf – Fish has exceled on the links. He won a pair of Diamond Resorts Invitationals in Orlando.
Legend Jack Nicklaus raved about Fish’s game after they played nine holes together a year ago at the Bear’s Club when Fish shot a 6-under 30.
Imagine shooting a 30 with the Golden Bear. No wonder Fish entered the Korn Ferry Tour q-school and almost made it past the first stage.
“I have never seen anybody with as nice a golf swing and as good a golf game that doesn’t play it professionally, or as a top amateur,” Nicklaus said. “I was flabbergasted how good Mardy was.”
Fish would have earned a $125,000 first prize at Lake Tahoe, but the $600,000 purse was donated to area charities for COVID-19 relief and social justice issues.
It’s not like Fish needs the money. The trophy meant more.
It will be interesting to see if Fish becomes more serious about the game as he nears 50, with the prospect of playing on the PGA Tour Champions. His father, Tom, the director of tennis at the Windsor Club in Vero Beach, said Mardy is not looking to become more serious about golf.
“He’s kind of been there, done that,” Tom Fish said Tuesday. “Marty has two young daughters (Stella and Beckett), and he loves spending time with them.”
What’s amazing is Fish has never been offered a sponsor exemption to a PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour event. That doesn’t seem likely this year, because the coronavirus pandemic has severely limited playing opportunities.
Still, it would be interesting to see how Fish performs at golf’s highest level.
In the community: Mardy Fish tennis championships will be played at The Boulevard through 2022
Chip shots
Stuart resident Scott Turner defended his title in the Palm Beach Kennel Club County Amateur Championship on Sunday, becoming just the second player to do so in the event’s 45-year history. Bill McDonough won consecutive titles in 1985-86.
“I give my pro (Rod Curl Jr. at Hammock Creek) a lot of credit,” said Turner, who runs the Minor League Golf Tour. “I didn’t play for a couple months because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Rod worked with me for three days last week and it made a lot of difference.”
For the best sports coverage in the area, please subscribe.
"fish" - Google News
July 15, 2020 at 12:39AM
https://ift.tt/2ZtsAjg
Vero Beach native Mardy Fish takes his next stroke in golf by winning major celebrity tournament - TCPalm
"fish" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35JkYuc
https://ift.tt/3feFffJ
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Vero Beach native Mardy Fish takes his next stroke in golf by winning major celebrity tournament - TCPalm"
Post a Comment