Santiago, Chile (Nov. 30, 2008) – With his win this afternoon at the 50th Abierto del Club de Golf Sport Francés, Rafael Gómez of Argentina became the winningest player in the history of the Tour de las Américas. The 40-year old reached a grand total of eight TLA wins to surpass his countryman Angel Cabrera, whom he had tied at seven with a win in the Abierto de San Luis only three weeks ago.
Gómez, who started the day three strokes off the lead, carded a 3-under par 68 to come from behind and finish the week at 7-under par 277. Playing in the penultimate group, the Argentinean put his hopes on hold after three-putting the 72nd hole for a bogey.
“I tried to sink my first putt and it went four feet pass the hole. I was probably over confident and ended up paying with a bogey, but you know something, when it belongs to you nobody can take it away,” said Gómez, who has won 22 times throughout his eighteen years as a professional player.
As Gomez missed on the final hole, the Canadian Tour Rookie of the Year Daniel Im, who earlier in the day had taken the lead away from German Christoph Guenther, bogeyed No 16 to set a tie at 7-under par. With Gomez waiting in the clubhouse, Im lost his share of the lead with a bogey at the par-five 17 and then lost his chance of forcing a playing by missing an eighteen-footer for birdie on the last. He ended up carding a 71 to claim the solo second, one stroke off Gomez’s pace.
As winner of the first event ever co-sanctioned by the Tour de las Américas and the Canadian Tour, the experienced champion, a Nationwide Tour member in 2004 and a European Tour member in 2006, has secured a full exemption on the Canadian Tour.
“The year isn’t over yet, but it has been great for me. I have won five times (three on the TLA) and this one means a lot because now I’m first on the TLA Rankings,” added Gómez, who earned a US $25,600 check to move ahead of his countryman Estanislao Goya with only two events left this season.
With two bogeys on the final three holes, it turned out to be a heartbreaking loss for the USA’s Im, who has been a runner up in three of his last five Canadian Tour starts. “I was hitting well and shot 2-under on the front nine. On the back side I started spreading my shots a little and then I started missing birdie putts. I just kind of lost it I guess”, admitted the 23-year old about a title that slipped away.
Argentina’s Clodomiro Carranza carded a 68 to finish third at 5-under par for the week. A stroke further back the fourth spot was shared by Chile’s Hugo León, 71, and by Germany’s Christoph Guenther, who hopes slipped away with a 75.
After this exciting event at the Club de Golf Sport Francés, the Tour de las Américas and the Canadian Tour now travel to Argentina, where the 21st Torneo de Maestros Copa Personal (the Argentina Masters) is scheduled to start on Thursday at Olivos GC. That event, also sanctioned by the TPG Tour of Argentina, will feature several stars such as the defending champion Angel Cabrera, Eduardo Romero, Andrés Romero, Daniel Vancsik, Vicente Fernández, Ricardo González, Bruce Fleisher and Len Mattiace.
Gregory Villalobos
TLA Media Relations Manager
gvillalobos@tourdelasamericas.com
