Vermeer Wins PGA Club Pro Crown

SEASIDE, Calif. -- It was a tale of two nines for Ryan Vermeer on the final day of the redundantly named PGA Professional Championship. But he made up for a shaky, 4-over-par front nine by making three birdies and no bogeys on the back, and the result was a two-stroke victory in what would more accurately be described as the National Club Pro Championship.

Vermeer is a 40-year-old former University of Kansas All-American from Omaha. He played his share of mini-tour events and won a few and earned a place on the Web.com Tour, golf's highest minor league. But he never made it to the PGA Tour and gave up the attempt a few years ago, when he and his wife started having kids. In May, he took a new job as the director of instruction at Happy Hollow Club in Omaha.

"They (the members of the club) have been great," he said Wednesday, after closing with a 73 and posting a 72-hole total of 283 (5 under). "They allow me to play tournaments; so I can keep my game ready for events like this." 

The tournament was played on two courses, Bayonet (par 72, 7,104 yards) and Black Horse (par 72, 7,024 yards). Vermeer started the final round at Bayonet with a three-stroke advantage, but that disappeared on the front nine as he made a double bogey and two bogeys. He regained the initiative with birdies at the 11th and 12th holes, then made six pars in a row. Needing only par at the 530-yard, par-5 18th, he added one more birdie.

For his efforts, he received $55,000.

Sean McCarty was tied for the top spot going into the 18th hole, but three-putted the green for a bogey. He still shot 68, which earned him a tie for second place, at 285, along with 2004 Club Pro champ Bob Sowards, who closed with a 69. David Muttitt and Jason Schmuhl tied for fourth at 287.

The top 20 finishers earned berths in this year's PGA at Bellerive (Aug. 9-12). There was a nine-way tie for 16th, which made a nine-for-five playoff necessary, and the playoff lasted seven holes. Danny Balin, an assistant at Westchester CC in New York, claimed the last spot. 

Only one Minnesotan survived the first (36-hole) cut, which came at 149. That was Minikahda teaching pro Jeff Sorenson, who was at 148 (76-72). He followed that with a 77 and missed the 54-hole cut (223) with an aggregate of 225. 

MEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF

PGA Professional Championship

At Bayonet & Black Horse

Bayonet Course (par 72, 7,104 yards)

Black Horse (par 72, 7,024 yards)

Seaside, Calif. 

Final results

1. Ryan Vermeer                 70-70-70-73--283

T2. Sean McCarty               7173-73-68--285

T2. Bob Sowards                72-72-72-69--285

T4. David Muttitt                  73-74-70-70--287

T4. Jason Schmuhl             76-71-68-72--287

T6. Jaysen Hansen            68-76-73-71--288

T6. Matt Dobyns                73-71-71-73--288

T6. Johan Kok                   71-72-71-74--288

Missed 2nd cut (70 & ties after 54 holes): 223

Jeff Sorenson                   76-72-77--225

Missed 1st cut (90 & ties after 36 holes): 149

Jeff Kringen                      76-74--150

Ryan Helminen                 74-76--150

Brent Snyder                    77-74--151

Don Berry                         76-77--153

Dave Tentis                      76-80--156

Eric Rolland                     78-81--159

Derek Stendahl                82-77--159

Mike Barge                       84-75--159

Craig Brischke                78-83--161