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Bryant win provides Cinderella finish to season
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-07 10:00
ATLANTA, Nov 6 (Reuters) - American Bart Bryant held his nerve to fire a
three-under-par 67 and secure a crushing six-shot victory over Tiger Woods at
the Tour Championship on Sunday, providing a Cinderella finish to the U.S.
season.
A 42-year-old journeyman who insisted all week he did not belong in golf's
elite, Bryant completed a wire-to-wire win for the third PGA Tour title of his
career and his second this season.
The unheralded Texan began the limited-field event in masterful style with a
course record 62 on Thursday and ended it with an ice-cool final round and a
record winning total of 17-under 263 at East Lake Golf Club.
His surprise victory was worth $1.1 million and almost doubled his earnings
over a 19-year-career that has been interrupted by eight visits to the PGA Tour
qualifying school.
"I'm thrilled beyond description," smiled Bryant. "To struggle for as long as
I did and all of a sudden in the last 15 months to win three events. Even if I
hadn't won this weekend, this would all be worth it.
"I didn't think I would ever make the Tour Championship and I certainly never
thought I could win the Tour Championship.
"Every week I'm starting to feel more and more like I belong where I am. I
belong on the same Tour.
"I certainly don't put myself in the same category with Retief (Goosen) and
Vijay (Singh) and Davis Love and Tiger Woods.
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