Roger Beale
Roger Beale made birdies on the final two holes Wednesday to win the PGA Club Professional Championship of Canada in Port Lucie, Fla., by two strokes.
He earned $12,000 for winning the tournament, one of the biggest on the PGA of Canada's calendar.
Beale, who was born in Barbados and grew up in Ottawa, once played on the Canadian Tour and represented his birth country at the 2006 World Cup, competing alongside PGA Tour professionals, but he rated his victory Wednesday as his best golf experience.
"Playing with PGA Tour professionals was special," the 38-year-old told pgaofcanada.com. "But this is certainly by far the most special," adding, "I'm very fortunate"
Beale, who worked at Ottawa and area clubs before returning this past spring to Barbados to take the director of golf role at Royal Westmoreland, finished the 54-hole event at 14-under-par 202. He fired a five-under 67 Wednesday that included five birdies over the final 10 holes.
"I rolled in a birdie on No. 10 and I said, 'Okay, well, let's just keep it going and stop thinking,'" he said.
With playing partner Scott Allred charging hard on the back nine -- he made five birdies over the final six holes -- Beale had to keep pace. And he did exactly that, clinching the title with a birdie on the par-five 17th hole and then another on the par-four 18th after hitting his 190-yard approach shot to three feet.
"I was very lucky Scott was playing well," Beale said. "On No. 18 he stuffs it in there, so I'm saying, 'Oh man, I've got to hit a shot.' So I hit it to like two feet and make it. He really helped me stay focused and just get the job done versus thinking foolish things and get off track."
Allred of Calgary and Graham Gunn of Orleans, Ont., tied for second. Second-round leader Danny King of Aurora, Ont., and Chris Barber of Kingston shared fourth spot.
A victory would have made King the No. 1 player on the PGA of Canada's player ranking and earned him player of the year honours. But his slip to fourth left Brian McCann of Mississauga as the top club pro in Canada and the player of the year.