Title: 
Pavin Snaps 10-year Golf Drought

Word Count:
354

Summary:
After a 10-year drought, golfer Corey Pavin finally barged into the winner's circle again on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) by winning the 2005 U.S. Bank Championship in July 2006. The victory snapped a losing strea of 242 consecutive tournaments wihout a win.

It was Pavin's 15th PGA victory -- and he did it in grand style. On the very first round of the US Bank Championship, Pavin broke the PGA record for the fewest number of strokes need to complete nine hole...


Keywords:
Golf, sports, games, Corey Pavin, US Bank Championships


Article Body:
After a 10-year drought, golfer Corey Pavin finally barged into the winner's circle again on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) by winning the 2005 U.S. Bank Championship in July 2006. The victory snapped a losing strea of 242 consecutive tournaments wihout a win.

It was Pavin's 15th PGA victory -- and he did it in grand style. On the very first round of the US Bank Championship, Pavin broke the PGA record for the fewest number of strokes need to complete nine holes at a PGA Tour event., with an eight-under score of 26 (July 7, 2006). The previous record was 27 strokes and was held jointly by Mike Souchak, Andy North, Billy Mayfair and Robert Gamez. Pavin's score of 125 for the first 36 holes also tied the record for fewest shots taken in the first 36 holes of a PGA Tour event held by Tom Lehman, Mark Calcavecchia, and Tiger Woods. Overall, Pavin averaged just 26.5 points per round en route to a final round score of 20-under-par 260.

Pavin had to weather a strong challenge from Jerry Kelly in the U.S. Bank Championship before finally snagging the title with a two-stroke vidtory. Kelly started the final round just two strokes behind Pavin. His final round was bogey-free, but Kelly also missed 13 putts for birdie putts, including a close one from just seven feet. For the day and despite having the gallery's backing, Kelly did not make a single putt longer than five feet.

The turning point of the tournament for Pavin came on the par-4 eighth hole, when he opened a four-stroke lead over Kelly. Pavin hit a drive 270 yards to the center of the fairway, and his second shot, a 6-iron from 172 yards, bounced three times and rolled into the cup for an eagle."That was huge, I was playing real solidly and hitting a lot of greens, but I couldn't seem to get a putt to go in," Pavin said later. "Then I hole a shot and that gave me a nice cushion."

Prior to the US Bank Championships, Pavin's previous win came in the 1996 Colonial.
He has also won the prestigious US Open in 1995, his lone major championship win.