Jeff Curl

Financial Worry and Fatherly Advice Steer Curl to the Win

Goldsboro, NC – Jeff Curl of Ellington, CT had spent much of his life as a happy-go-lucky type who viewed the world as his oyster for the most part and the possibilities as endless. As with many Americans, the recent downturn in the economy had cast a shadow of doubt over Curl and his financial situation as a week-to-week professional golfer. Much of that newfound stress was put to rest on Friday afternoon thanks in part to a 3-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole and a victory at the EGOLF Tarheel Tour’s Walnut Creek Open in Goldsboro, NC.

Curl entered the final round trailing overnight leader Kevin Kisner of Aiken, SC by a single shot. Playing in the day’s final pairing with Kisner and Scott Brown, birdies were the norm for a threesome absolutely bringing the Ellis Maples-designed Walnut Creek course to its knees. Through 11 holes, Curl and Kisner were tied and Brown trailed by one after they had amassed an impressive 15 birdies between them.

Curl drained a 50-foot birdie putt at the par-4 16th to pull within two of Kisner only to watch him miss a 4-foot birdie attempt of his own, thus leaving Curl one back with two to play. After Kisner failed to get up-and-down for par at No. 17, Brown stepped to the plate with a birdie of his own which sent the trio headed to the 54th hole all square.

Curl’s tee shot found the trees and forced him to lay up, where he would eventually hit a wedge to a foot to secure his par. A costly three-putt by Brown left Kisner with five feet for par to force a playoff – and it never had a doubt.

Curl and Kisner exchanged birdies on the first playoff hole, the par-4 18th, and headed to No. 10 to continue the overtime session. After Kisner’s approach found the fringe roughly 25 feet from the cup, Curl stuck a sand wedge to three feet and waited to see if Kisner had any more magic left. A narrow miss by the former University of Georgia star left Curl with little work to collect the win and the needed $26,000 first-place check.

“This is the first time in a long time that I’ve had something financially to worry about,” said Curl, who has played between the EGOLF Tarheel Tour and the Nationwide Tour after a standout career at UNC Charlotte. “With the economy the way it is and the fact that I have $3,000 in my bank account and $30,000 on credit cards, it was awesome to just come out here and not even think about it. It was fun.”

The victory was especially nice for Curl as his father Rod, winner of the Colonial National Invitation in 1974, was on the bag for his son this week and was his steady head at the end of regulation.

“He convinced me to lay-up on 18 after I wanted to try and go for it (from the trees). He said, ‘If you don’t get it, it’s over.’ So I laid up and hit my best wedge shot in a year. It was a no-brainer.”

For Kisner, the runner-up finish kept his confidence high with PGA Tour Qualifying School around the corner, but the loss was not easy to swallow.

“I had it right where I wanted it, I just kind of gave it away,” said Kisner after the playoff. “It’s going to hurt a little bit. I fought hard, but just didn’t get it done.”

First round co-leaders Brown and Chip Deason tied for third, one-shot back of the playoff at 15-under 198. Brown’s T3 finish was his first top-5 effort of the year after collecting two EGOLF Tarheel Tour titles in 2007.
Chris Rogers of Franklin, TN ignited quite the comeback through 14 holes as he was six under and in the mix for the title. However, an untimely bogey at the long par-4 17th followed by a par at the last dropped him out of contention and into solo fifth.

With his victory, Curl climbed to No. 4 on the EGOLF Tarheel Tour money list with 2008 earnings of just over $57,000. Kisner managed to move all the way up to No. 2 on the list after earning $15,000 for his runner up finish. Three-time winner David Robinson remains atop the money list with earnings of $105,320.

The tour would like to thank Head Golf Professional Jay Hill, Golf Course Superintendent Brad Edens and Club Manager Jerry Bosquet for their hospitality and hard work during the tournament week. Walnut Creek has long been a favorite stop of EGOLF Tarheel Tour players and staff, and this past week was certainly no exception.

The 2008 EGOLF Tarheel Tour season will conclude next week at the Tour Championship in Gordonsville and Wintergreen, Virginia. Players will split the first two rounds between Spring Creek Golf Club and Stoney Creek Golf Club at Wintergreen Resort before playing the final round at Spring Creek on Saturday, October 18th.

View Walnut Creek Open Results Here

Financial Worry and Fatherly Advice Steer Curl to the Win

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