From Deseret News archives:

1-stroke victory: St. George golfer wins more than money

Published: Sunday, July 31, 2005 11:54 p.m. MDT
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McKinlay added a birdie at the par-5 13th with a two-putt to move to 15-under. Keye and Moody were both 13-under after making back-to-back birdies 13 and 14. But neither birdied the par-5 15th and Moody fell back with a bogey at the short par-4 16th with a 3-putt.

That left McKinlay with a cushion going into the final three holes, when he finally began to get nervous.

"Those last three holes were not much fun," he said. "I've never been so nervous in my life."

McKinlay thought Moody was just one shot behind him because he assumed he would birdie No. 16, when in fact he bogeyed it.

"I never looked at a scoreboard until I got to 16 and then I saw Chris Moody's name," he said. "I know he's an unbelievable player."

After managing a par at 16, McKinlay hit the shot of the tournament at No. 17, a 220-yard par-3 with bunkers on the right and rough around the green. His 3-iron shot went straight at the flag and ended up just 7 feet away.

"I just closed my eyes and swung," he said. "That was the best shot of the day by far."

Even though he left the putt short, he still had a two-shot lead going into the final hole, allowing him to three-putt for his only bogey of the day and fourth of the tournament.

""I wanted to end on a better note," he said. "But I'm definitely happy."

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It hardly matters how he finished the last hole, since McKinlay will always be known as the 2005 Utah Open champion.

Keye, a 35-year-old assistant at Old Mill, picked up $10,000 for second place.

"It was a good week for me," he said. "I kept it in play and made some putts."

Pete Stone, playing in his first professional tournament, finished fifth and picked up a check for $3,500. His 66 was the lowest score of the day.

Provo's Tadd Cox celebrated his 25th birthday by finishing as the low amateur at 207 in a tie with Fister, who struggled to a 74 with 37 putts Sunday.

Sandy's Todd Tanner finished sixth at 206 after shooting a 67. Ellis and Joseph Summerhays tied for ninth at 208.

The tournament's beneficiary, Special Olympics, was presented with a check for $22,000 during the awards ceremony.


E-mail: sor@desnews.com

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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning News

Utah Open champion Nick McKinlay of St. George hits a shot out of the sand during final-round play at Saratoga Springs.

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