Andrew Landry needs to make sure he keeps his passport updated.
After winning his first Web.com Tour event two years ago in Cartagena,
Colombia, the Port Neches-Groves ex added victory number two in the Bahamas on Wednesday afternoon. And he did it with flair, coming from two shots behind with 11 holes left to take a three-stroke victory over Jimmy Gunn.
Starting at the par-5 eighth, Landry bagged two eagles in a six-hole stretch, played the eighth through 14 holes in six under and added another birdie at the 17th for a closing 67. It left him at 16-under-par 272.
Landry had gotten himself in position to win with a third-round 66 that saw him have to play the final 10 holes Wednesday morning. Already 4-under through eight holes, he made eight straight pars, then finished
birdie-birdie.
The victory was worth $108,000 to Landry, ties him for the lead on the
Web.com money list and puts him in excellent position to reclaim a PGA Tour card at the end of the season, if not sooner. Interestingly enough, his next Web.com event is Feb 9-12, where he won in 2015 in Colombia.
“I just tried to stay patient,” he said, after uncharacteristically
struggling with his driver the final round. “It was one of the worst driving
rounds I’ve ever had, but I putted awesome. My putting was huge, my iron play was strong and my chipping was good.”
Landry, who two weeks ago missed the cut after rounds of 87-77 in the wind blown Web.com Tour opener in the Bahamas, overcame five bogeys to sign for 71 in the opening round at Great Abaco, then was lights out. He didn’t make a bogey in the middle 36 holes while shooting 68-66, then caught fire midway through the final round.
Trailing Chase Parker by two shots after seven holes, he eagled the par 5,
eight, then birdied the par 4, ninth to catch him. He grabbed the lead for
good with a birdie on the par 4, 13th, then took control by rolling in a
10-foot eagle putt on the par 5, 14th.
There were a couple of shaky moments coming down the stretch, thanks to the balky driver. After a scrambling par saved with an 8-foot putt on the 15th, he narrowly missed driving into a hazard on the 16th. Landry’s ball was inside the hazard but playable, he wedged to 40 feet from the pin and got down in two.
Any doubt he could be caught was erased with a 6-iron to 10 feet on the
210-yard, par 3, 17th. Landry poured the putt into the middle of the cup to birdie the 17th for the second time in five hours, then had a leisurely stroll on the par 5, 18th.
Afterward, he credited things he learned last year on the PGA Tour,
including a top-15 finish, and playing in the final group at the U.S. Open, as solidifying his confidence.
“The biggest thing in golf is belief,” he said. “The PGA Tour teaches you
so much about self-belief. I had some doubts after shooting 87 a couple of weeks ago, but I was able to come back strong. I didn’t get off to a great start here, but the last three rounds were really solid.”
Despite his erratic driving during the final round, Landry finished the
tournament tied for first in driving accuracy. He also tied for first in
greens in regulation, was the leader in eagles and was sixth in birdies made.”
“The only negative was the bad tee shots,” he said. I had driven it
beautifully all week until today. Some of them I didn’t hit bad, but they went right. I think my driver may be cracked.”