Thu Sep 09 2010
by David Carducci
Record-Courier staff writer
Ben Curtis didn't win the PGA Championship Aug. 10 at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit, but he did manage to claim a wonderful consolation prize.
The tie for second place earned Curtis a spot on the United States' team for the 2008 Ryder Cup set for Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.
After rain storms wiped out play Aug. 9 at the PGA Championship, Curtis shot at third round score 68 to take the lead after 54 holes at two-under par. He was still in the running in the final round, but bogeys on two of final four holes ruins his chances of winning his second major title.
He tied for second place with Sergio Garcia with a one-under par score of 279 (73-67-68-71). Padraig Harrington won the title with a three-under par 277.
However, the Kent State alumnus earned $660,000 for his week of work. That paycheck translated to 1,320 points in the Ryder Cup points standings, enough to vault Curtis all the way from 20th to seventh place in the standings.
Sunday was the final day for potential United States players to earn Ryder Cup points with the top eight guaranteed a spot on the team. Paul Azinger will announce the final four captain's picks for the United States team in three weeks.
"Ben shared with me at the beginning of the year that one of his top goals was to earn a spot on the Ryder Cup team," said Kent State golf coach Herb Page. "I'm very excited for him. He just keeps crossing thresholds, doesn't he?"
Curtis crossed his first major professional threshold back in 2003 by winning the British Open as a PGA Tour rookie in his first appearance in a major championship. He finished in a seventh place tie at this year's British Open to put himself in contention for a spot on the Ryder Cup team. Every $1,000 in earnings is worth one point in the Ryder Cup standings, but points earned in major championships are doubled.
Curtis jumped from 1,800.061 points to 3,120.061, spoiling Steve Stricker's hopes of earning an automatic berth by dropping him from eighth to ninth on the rankings. He also jumped ahead of Boo Weekly, who slipped from seventh to eighth, but will still represent the United States at Valhalla.
"Ben has played on the World Amateur team (in 2000) representing his country, and this is the next logical step for him in his career," said Page. "What a great reward for what was really a great week."
E-mail: stowsports@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113
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