The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Texas Ex Dobyns wins 2012 PGA Professional National Championship
06.27.2012 | Men's Golf
June 27, 2012
SEASIDE, Calif. -- Texas Ex Matt Dobyns ('01) completed a runaway victory Wednesday in his PGA Professional National Championship debut, closing with a 2-under 70 on the Bayonet course for an eight-stroke margin. Including a berth in the 2012 PGA Championship and six additional PGA Tour exemptions over a 12-month period, Dobyns received $75,000 for his win.
"This is the biggest tournament I've ever won," Dobyns said. "It'll probably be the biggest tournament I ever win. I'm trying to cherish every single second, but it's hard because everything is going so quickly. From a golf standpoint, I really had control of my golf swing and I can't tell you why. For whatever reason, when I showed up here I was in control and the hard shots didn't feel that hard."
The 34-year-old Dobyns, the PGA head professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Lake Success, N.Y., finished at 13-under 275 (68-68-69-70). The former University of Texas player shot a 68 at Black Horse on Sunday, and followed with rounds of 68 and 69 at Bayonet.
"I didn't have any goals coming here; I didn't have time," said Dobyns. "I wasn't sure I was going to come until the day before. I have never been in front before - not this far in front - and not in front of this many good players."
Dobyns held a six-stroke cushion entering the final round after combining a hole-in-one on the 14th hole of Bayonet with a hole-out from a bunker at 18 for an eagle and a 3-under 69 on Tuesday.
"First of all, an ace is not about skill, it's about luck," said Dobyns. "I'm just trying to keep the ball on the green, and the ball bounces, and it goes into the hole. Sometime it looks like it's going to go in, and it doesn't, and this particular one did. I'm happy I made it, don't get me wrong. I didn't see it at all, and then I saw people waving their arms around and they said I won a (Club Car) golf cart. I don't know how I'm going to get that back to New York."
A field of 312 PGA Professionals, representing 42 states and the District of Columbia, began play in the $550,000 Championship on Sunday. Seventy-seven players competed in Wednesday's final round, with the low 20 scorers earning a berth in the 94th PGA Championship, Aug. 9-12, at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.
Rod Perry, the PGA head professional at Crane Lakes Golf Course in Port Orange, Fla., and Kelly Mitchum, a PGA assistant professional at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort, tied for second at 5-under 283.