Major Markel Three-peats!
Like a cagy NASCAR driver, Tim Markel hung around all day, didn’t get in any wrecks, and made a last lap charge to win! Markel posted 3 birdies in a row on the back nine to take the lead while all but Kevin Gregoire found the back nine more than they could handle. A missed gear shift on 16 set the stage for an 18th hole birdie and a 1 over par 72, 1 shot victory over Gregoire. Jeff Pasz took 3rd place at 3 over par 74 and Helen Puffenberger tied Mike Fox for 4th at 5 over par 76. Notables: Bill Gordon opened at 6 under par in the first 6 holes only to find the rest of the course a bit too long. Gregoire posts his 10th 2nd place finish on Tour. Markel moves to 4th in all-time Western Championship winnings after posting the 2nd three-peat in event history, with Joe Robar accomplishing the feat in 2011 to 2013. For the trivia buffs, 5 other players in Tour history have won a single event 3 times in a row. Todd Stuart won the first 3 Strokes on Rope events 1999 to 2001, Mary Taylor won the first 3 Ugly Pants from 2001 to 2003, Greg Kline won the Match Play Championship in 2004 to 2006, Samantha Kellstrom won the Ladies Open in 2011 to 2013 and the late Chris Cooley won the Casino Classic in 2018 to 2020. Major Markel gets his 10th Tour win in 273 starts and his 6th Major title, tying him for 5th on the all-time list with Kelly Arnold and Mike Prieskorn.
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