Monday, July 22, 2002
Former UC golfer wins Celebrity Classic
By Gary Estwick gestwick@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Brad Wilder is ending his summer of golf on a high note.
On Memorial Day, the former University of Cincinnati golfer made his first hole-in-one.
Earlier this week, he won his first tournament.
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TWO-DAY SCORES
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A-amateur; P-pro
Brad Wilder (A) 72 66—138
Taylor Metcalfe (A) 72 68—140
Tim Krapfel (P) 68 73—141
Ken Kaiser (P) 71 72—143
Doug Ledford (P) 72 71—143
Scott Burnett (P) 70 74—144
Jim Volpenhein (A) 70 75—145
Rick Witt (P) 72 73—145
Justin Fender (A) 73 73—146
Brett Slater (P) 73 74—147
Pete Ebel (A) 74 73—147
David Allan (A) 76 71—147
Kevin Hall (A) 72 76—148
Dennis Wells (P) 73 75—148
Shawn McCaskey (A) 74 74—148
Jim Ebel (A) 73 75—148
Brian Jones (P) 73 76—149
Tom Browning (A) 81 69—150
Larry King (P) 75 76—151
Johnny Bench (P) 76 76—152
Sam Arnold (P) 78 74—152
Chris Larbes (A) 78 74—152
Sonny Rinala (P) 74 79—153
Tom Bach (P) 78 75—153
Bob Stephens (P) 76 78—154
David Macke (A) 77 78—155
Joey Hill (P) 79 77—156
Bob Hauer (P) 81 75—156
Brian Sweeny (A) 79 79—158
Bill Piliaris (A) 79 82—161
Matt Cushman (A) 75 86—161
Melissa Yeazell (P) 78 85—163
Chris Straley (A) 81 82—163
Celebrity-Sponsored Two-Man Scramble Winners
Saturday: Phil Simms-Steve Pomeroy
Sunday: Jim Breech-Steve Pomeroy
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Wilder capped it all off Sunday. He shot a personal-best 5-under-par 66 during the final round of the Fifth Third Bank/ Fox 19 Celebrity Golf Classic to beat Taylor Metcalfe by two strokes.
“This was probably my best summer of golf,” said Wilder, whose final-round score is a Belterra (Ind.) Golf Course record.
The event was the first tournament held at the 1-year-old course.
Wilder's two-day score was 4-under-par 142. His previous-best round was 68 at the 2000 Xavier Invitational.
Metcalfe, a two-time Met winner, finished with a 2-over-par 140. Tim Krapfel, the leader after Saturday's first round (68), finished third with a 1-under-par 141. As the highest pro finisher, he picked up a check for $10,000.
As amateurs, Wilder and Metcalfe didn't take home checks. But to Wilder, winning was everything.
“I just knew I needed to not make as many mistakes as I made yesterday,” the 23-year-old said. “Winning was less about great shots and more about less mistakes.”
Wilder did just that, finishing with 12 birdies in the tournament. More importantly, he hit the ball on the correct side of the hole and used the right clubs.
The tournament added a new element for Wilder: the pressure of live television.
At most, he said, his college tournaments might have featured one cameraman on site. And playing with former Bengals great Boomer Esiason didn't lessen the pressure. In between Esiason signing autographs and jarring with former teammate Cris Collinsworth, Wilder tried to keep cool in 90-degree weather.
“He really had a great tempo to his game,” Esiason said of Wilder. “I started calling him Sergio (Garcia, the PGA golfer) on the second hole.”
Wilder didn't win a golf tournament until last week's local U.S.Amateur Public Links Championship. He missed the cut at this year's Met by two strokes. His previous-best finish was second at the William and Mary Invitational in 1999.
Wilder said he thought about turning pro while he finished Sunday's final round. But after thinking about it following the tournament, he said, “Nope.”
Wilder graduated with a master's degree in finance from UC in June. And as his golf career begins to slow down, his 9-to-5 career will start. Wilder's first day at his new job is today.
Other notables Sunday included: Local businessman Steve Pomeroy was on the winning team of the two-man scramble for the third consecutive year. Pomeroy and teammate Jim Breech finished with a 62.
Mason's Dean Perkins made his first-ever hole-in-one during Sunday's two-man scramble. The shot came on No.11 (actually No.14, but play started on No.4), a par-3 from 122 yards.
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Former UC golfer wins Celebrity Classic
