Vaughn's Improbable Of Improbable Wins Could Have Been...
/Ok, maybe not predicted. But if you looked back at last year's numbers you'd know the man is a horse for that course.
Yes, the world No. 447's AT&T National Pro-Am victory was stunning on many levels, most impressibly how smooth and easy he made it look down the stretch. As Doug Ferguson notes in his AP story, this is someone who hasn't had a full PGA Tour card since 2012.
But maybe we should have seen this coming had we scanned Scott Michaux's Augusta Chronicle story from a year ago when Taylor finished tenth at this same event. The piece is worth checking out again, if nothing else to read the phrase, Hephzibah-bred.
“It was a lot of fun,” Taylor said of his 15-under performance on the Monterrey Peninsula. “I had a great time last week and it’s always nice to play well, too. It’s good to get back in the mix on the tour.”
When you’re on the outside looking in, it’s hard not to let the stakes be overwhelming. Taylor’s birdie on the 14th hole moved him into a tie for fourth, four shots behind cruising leader Brandt Snedeker. A steady finish would have brought him a paycheck in excess of $250,000 and guaranteed him a spot in the Northern Trust Open.
Oh well, there were signs.
Taylor did it this week on superior ball striking, as the ShotLink team noted. He also ends a most-starts victory drought that no player wants any part of.
I'm also guessing his sold a few of the RoboGolf devices after it was mentioned he'd been working on it daily at the Pebble Beach Academy.
The highlights:
**The SI roundtable gang on Phil's fine week at Pebble that included some ugly moments (18 of 36 weekend greens), but a stirring birdie at 17 and a fine putt on 18 that was setup but a not-Phil-worthy approach pitch.
Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated (@GaryVanSickle): His short game is back. Phil barely hit half the greens in regulation on the weekend and coulda-shoulda-woulda won. That was impressive. His long game wasn't. He's still maddeningly Phil, which I think is good.
Cameron Morfit, senior writer, GOLF Magazine (@CameronMorfit): I disagree, sort of. He hit 10 of 14 fairways but only nine greens in regulation Sunday. Phil would normally be able to work around that, but he was a shadow of his usual self with the short game. It wasn't just the missed five-foot putt at 18. From above the third green I watched him hit an awful pitch from just 71 yards. He duffed it, hit it just 45 yards, and had to get up and down for par. He couldn't get up and down from the sand at the fourth hole, or the 14th, bogeying both. He three-putted from the fringe at the par-3 fifth, for another bogey. He threw away a lot of shots.
