Winner of the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship – Jerry Kelly

September 17, 2017

Jerry Kelly takes home the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship Trophy

Jerry Kelly takes home the new #2017PLC trophy!

Jerry Kelly was just biding his time on Days 1 and 2 of the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship. Holding steady for the first two rounds of play in the #3 position, when it counted, on the final day, he made his move. Then he took home the whole thing, giving him his second career PGA TOUR Champions victory!

The weather may have been a bit grey for the final day of play at the 2017 Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship, but the day – and play – was anything but. The hotly contested back and forth atop the leaderboard for most of the day gave spectators a final round to remember, with our without the sun’s appearance. As a bonus, by the time the final two groups came in to play #18 the sun had come out to play too, and it was Jerry Kelly who would take his spot in that sun as your #2017PLC champion!

Having made a couple of birdies on the back nine (on #12 and #15), and in spite of a bogey on #13 and being stung by a bee before making his putt on #16 (true story), coming up to #18, Kelly knew that all he had to do to take home the trophy was make par. Something he did with seeming calm, giving him a 3-under 68 for the day’s play and a tournament-winning total of 14-under.

#2017PLC Moment of the Day – Jerry Kelly Makes Par to Win

The top spot was, however, as mentioned, hotly contested.

About yesterday when we billed Lee Janzen as one to watch on Day 3 of the #2017PLC? Much as we hate to say ‘we told you so’, we told you so. After three birdies on the front nine to pull himself into a tie for the lead with David McKenzie, for much of the back nine, which included another three birdies on 12, 13 and 14, Janzen looked like the one to beat. But a bogey on 15 and then a double bogey on #17 saw his lead slip to one behind new leader Jerry Kelly, who, as we said, was just biding his time… This meant Janzen would finish up in second, also shooting a 3-under 68 for the day, for a total of 13-under.

Coming in right behind him was Tommy Armour III, another player billed as one to watch by end of play on Day 2. Making good on that prediction, Armour finished up his round with a 4-under 67 for a total of 12-under and a T3 position with David McKenzie. McKenzie, who went into today as co-leader, spent much of his day jostling with Janzen at the top of the leaderboard. He was unable to hold onto it in the end though, shooting a par 71 for a total of 12-under. Just one shot behind them were Esteban Toledo (shooting a 4-under 67 for a total of 11-under) and Bernhard Langer (shooting a 3-under 68 for a total of 11-under).

Canadian Rod Spittle at the #2017PLC

Canadian Rod Spittle moves 5 spots up the leaderboard for a T7 finish.

Another player making good on our prediction as one to watch on Day 3 was Rod Spittle, the top Canadian finisher in this year’s Championship. Spittle, who went into Round 3 at T12, shot a 2-under 69 for a total of 9-under and a T7 finish (which also moved him up the leaderboard another five places). Other great play included a fantastic day for Tim Petrovich. Petrovich, who  nearly made a hole in on on #16 on Day 1 if you remember, had one of the day’s best rounds, shooting a 5-under 66 for a tournament total of 11-under, joining Spittle at T7, 16 spots up from his position on Day 2.

There’s no doubt it was a great day for a lot of players, and an exciting one for everyone watching, but in the end the day belonged to Jerry Kelly – and deservedly so. Congratulations from all of us at Bear Mountain Resort, Jerry! We hope to see you out here again soon.

We’d also like to thank all the players who gave us three days of showstopping golf and showed us everything that sport, and this gentleman’s game, should be. The sportsmanship and fellowship displayed by the PGA TOUR Champions golfers continues to be as legendary as the golf itself. This truly is #WhereLegendsPlay.

#2017PLC Quotes of the Day

Jerry Kelly, on his Pacific Links Bear Mountain Championship win at Bear Mountain, Victoria: “With a win in Seattle and another now in Victoria, the Pacific Northwest is definitely my favourite.”

Jerry Kelly, on the Bear Mountain – Mountain Course: “What a beautiful place!”

#2017PLC Joker of the Day

#2017PLC Replay

Didn’t make it to Bear Mountain for the action? You can watch the best moments from the PGA TOUR Champions tournaments here.

You can also relive all the action from the event by going through our live feeds from the weekend.
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