Stallings surges to True South Classic crown

Published 11:20 am Monday, July 23, 2012

MADISON — A month ago, Scott Stallings could barely lift himself out of bed.

Sunday, he had no trouble lifting a championship trophy.

Stallings picked up his second PGA Tour win in just over a year by draining birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to win by two strokes over Jason Bohn at the True South Classic at Annandale Golf Club.

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Stallings, 27, has had an injury-plagued 2012 that included strained ribs and two herniated discs, but he felt healthy enough to make the True South Classic his sixth tournament of the season.

In 2011 Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic and advanced to the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. He finished 41st in the final standings.

With Sunday’s win at Annandale, Stallings moved from 163rd to 95th in the 2012 Fed Ex Cup standings. He also adds another year to his two-year exemption from the Greenbrier win.

“Obviously this is a huge stepping stone to get to where I want to get to and that’s a spot in all the majors,” Stallings said. “I’ve learned a lot of lessons over the last five months on how to deal with injuries. At Hartford (last month) I woke up and couldn’t feel my leg and the doctor said I had two herniated discs. I pulled out of Hartford, got some rest, played OK at Greenbrier, played poorly last week at the John Deere, but this was the first time I felt completely healthy all year.”

Stallings had to play 32 holes Sunday as the field caught up following Thursday’s rainout of half the opening round. He ended the third round Sunday morning at 20-under par, for a two-stroke lead over Billy Horschel.

Through the front nine, Stallings maintained his lead with birdies at Nos. 3 and 5. He got a third birdie on the par-5 12th hole while Horschel dropped a shot at No. 11. Bohn also birdied No. 12 to take over second place.

At 14, Stallings hooked his tee shot in the trees and could not get up and down.

“That was my first bogey in 52 holes,” Stallings said. “That’s a hard hole at 14, but I came back with those two birdies.”

Bohn, who crept within a shot after Stallings’ bogey, thought he had an opening to draw even.

“I got to within one there after 14, but he made some great shots coming down the stretch,” Bohn said. “He made it to the green while I was in traps and scrambled to make par.”

At the par-4 16th, Stallings put his second shot within a foot of the flag while Bohn landed in a greenside bunker. Stallings made his putt for a two-stroke lead after Bohn had to settle for a par.

On 17, Stallings locked it up. He was perfect on a conservative tee shot that gave him a lot of area to reach the green. Bohn took a shorter route, missing the pond by five feet. His second shot landed on the green for a good birdie chance but he missed it. Stallings, meanwhile, drained his 12-footer.

“At 16 I had just 148 yards downwind and just threw it up at the flag and it fell a foot away,” Stallings said. “On 17, I killed a drive and then after the second I was left with a 12-foot slider, but I made it. I’m glad because that made 18 a lot easier.”

Stallings parred the 18th to finish at 24-under, setting the course record at Annandale. Bohn finished at 22-under and Horschel was third at 20-under. Bud Cauley was fourth at 19-under.

Former Vicksburg resident Heath Slocum finished 13th, at 14-under, and Brandon’s Jonathan Randolph was 21st at 12-under.