Thom Bales wins wet HPO for first major victory
The first half of the 2008 Mulligan Tour season ended on Saturday with Thom Bales claiming his 3rd win of the year and first major victory. The 2008 Commercial Underwriters Harbour Pointe Open took nearly 7 hours to complete after a rain delay closed Eagle Crest GC in the middle of the round. When play resumed, Bales completed his round of 5 birdies and 5 bogies to finish at even par for the championship and a 1-stroke win over Jason Rectenwald.
The $50 first place check moves Bales to the top of the money standings with $140 in earnings this year. His 3 wins are part of 5 top-4 finishes in 9 starts this season. In only his 3rd season, Bales became the 15th Tour player to go over $300 in career earnings. He has $349 from 16 top-4’s in 43 tournaments played.
Rectenwald (36-37 – 73) birdied his 17th hole (#14) to get past Young Tom Litzler and Rick Persichetti. Litzler (34-40 – 74) was 2-under thru 12 holes but finished bogey – double-bogey on his closing holes. Persichetti (35-39 – 74), who won his first major title here at Eagle Crest in the 2004 HPO, finished 5-over on his last 4 holes to drop back into the tie for 3rd with Litzler. John Stepek (34-41 – 75) was 3-under thru 10 but made bogies on 6 of his last 8 holes to finish at 3-over 75 for solo 5th place. Greg Kline (38-39 – 77) and rookie Joe Robar (38-39 – 77) shared 6th place.
Tournament host and former HPO champ Dan Schwartz finished in 9th place at 7-over 79 – his best showing in the Open since his win here at Eagle Crest in 2000. Schwartz was happy to announce after the tournament that, thanks to the players’ participation in the charity raffle, $280 was raised for the benefit of the St.Judes Childrens Research Center.
Full results and history: Harbour Pointe Open
← All newsAll Harbour Pointe Open storiesHarbour Pointe Open history & results
