2015 DSGO: Maggert the Magnificent Wins the 2015 Dick’s Sporting Goods Open!

Jeff Maggert, the Champions Tour star of 2015 , won for the fourth time, including two majors, closing with a spectacular bogey-free 6-under 66 at the municipal owned En Joie Golf Course in Endicott, New York. Under firm and fast conditions all week long the winning score of 14-under par was lower than all but one of the first nine Dick's Sporting Goods Opens (DSGO). Maggert did the hard work easy birding six of the first ten holes then finishing with eight straight pars as the next best score out of the final two threesomes was a 70 by playing partner Ian Woosnam. Goydos was Maggert's closest pursuer on the back nine but his last birdie came at the par-5 12th and his tee shot on the difficult par-4 15th found the water right. After a good pitch on the short par-4 16th Goydos missed the short birdie putt and was unable to drain two makeable birdie putts on the way to the clubhouse and a solo second place finish. Corey Pavin put on a gallant charge all day recording his fifth birdie with no bogeys with a masterful chip in at the par-3 17th to get within two strokes tied with Goydos. The UCLA bruin was drawing his tee shots for distance and hitting a power fade for control off the tee all day long but his tee shot on the 18th found water left and he finished with a disappointing double bogey to fall to a T3 finish With Ian Woosnam, David Frost (71), Peter Senior (65) and Jerry Smith (67). Second round leader Rod Spittle shot a 74 to finish T12 while his playing partners in the final pairing John Huston (72) and Scott McCarron (75) failed to make a charge. Spittle had four bogyes and only one birdie. The 2011 DSGO Champion Huston's demise was a 5-iron right on the par-3 7th that found water and resulted in a triple bogey while McCarron started with a bogey on No. 1 and suffered a triple bogey on the 15th hole. This year's low tournament round was a 64 versus last year's historic 59 on Saturday by Kevin Sutherland. Maggert the Magnificent joins  the tradition of champions in both the Champions Tour's Dick's Sporting Goods Open and the PGA TOUR's B.C. Open. The first as professional golf came to Broome County in 1971 was Harmon. It was his first and only win as he went on to become the famous golf instructor, author and television broadcaster. World Golf Hall of Famers Tom Kite, Fred Couples, and Bernard Langer have won at En Joie. Local professional golfer Richie Karl won here in 1974. I remember that one at age 14 running out to see him sink a 35-foot birdie putt on the 15th green, the first hole in a playoff with Bruce Crampton. Joey Sindelar won in 1985 and while Mike Hulbert won in 1989. From Nancy Lopez's clinic earlier in the week, to the Johnny Hart Memorial Christian Fellowship Breakfast on Thursday, to the Lady Antebellum concert on Friday night it was another memorable Dick's Sporting Goods Open in the Valley of Opportunity, Hart & Faith. There was outstanding competitive professional golf once again at En Joie, the golf course originally built by built by George F. Johnson, the benevolent owner of the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company. Mr. Johnson loved the game of golf and couldn’t see any reason that his employees shouldn’t love it as well. Well the relatives of those workers do love the game and come out to support one of the best events on the Champions Tour. Jeff Maggert closed his champion interview, when asked what was the best thing about returning to the Triple Cities area, with "it's nice to see things haven't changed." With plans to retire in my hometown of Binghamton, New York I agree wholeheartedly with Maggert the Mangificent, the 2015 DSGO Champion. Other articles from this week: DSGO & the Triple Cities; Still the Valley of Opportunity, Hart & Faith A Tribute to Mr. Perry, Kenny Perry’s Dad Admittedly Addicted to Spiedies at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open