By Craig Dolch, Special to the PGA of America
PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – The team of Vince Drahman of Fortville, Ind., and Timothy Wiseman of Louisville birdied the last three holes on Feb. 4 to win the PGA Four-Ball Stableford Team Championship at PGA Golf Club.
They birdied the 17th and 18th holes on the Dye Course to force a playoff with JC Anderson of Hardeeville, S.C., and Chad Proehl of Urbandale, Iowa, with 47 points. Drahman, who had a series of close calls two years ago in the PGA Tournament Series, made an 18-foot birdie on the first playoff hole for the win.
“I had basically the same putt in regulation, just three feet longer,” said Drahman, the PGA Director of Instruction at Old Oakland Golf Club. “It was just outside right. I hit a good putt, and it went right in the middle. It feels awesome to finally win one of these.”
That sentiment was shared by Wiseman, the PGA Director of Instruction at Old Capital Golf Club. The duo are members of the same PGA Section (Indiana) and have played together since 2019. They shared the $10,000 first prize.
“We don’t have the best playoff track record down here, so it’s good to finally get one,” Wiseman said. “The finish was unbelievable. The whole week we kept picking each other up, matching each other’s intensity and never really doubting each other. That’s what he (Drahman) did on the back nine and the playoff.”
Anderson and Proehl can relate to close calls. This marked their third runner-up finish in the Four-Ball Stableford in the last six years.
“It’s tough to come so close again and not win,” said Proehl, a PGA Teaching Professional at Sugar Creek Golf Course.
Anderson and Proehl led by 3 points entering the final round, but quickly lost the advantage by scoring minus-1 points on the first six holes, including a costly bogey on the par-5 fifth hole.
“Chad hit a good second shot on 5, just short of the green to the right,” Anderson said. “It either hit a sprinkler head or a drain – we never found it.”
They found their game with five birdies on the back nine. Proehl’s near-eagle at No. 17 gave them a two-point lead, but Drahman made an 8-footer at 18 to force the playoff.
“My partner was within three feet (for birdie), so that was a good finish,” Drahman said.
The team of Liam Friedman and Jeff Martin of Wollaston Golf Club charged into contention with 18 points on nine birdies. Friedman capped their round by making a 45-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole, giving them the lead at 45 points
“It’s better than missing it,” Friedman said. “Jeff played great today.”
Friedman and Martin tied for third place with Dylan Newman of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Matthew Sita of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Newman just missed a 35-foot eagle on the par-5 17th hole that would have moved them to 48 points.
“I didn’t think I made it at first, but it took a late turn and just missed,” said Newman, who will defend his Men’s Stroke Play Championship starting Sunday on the Ryder and Wanamaker Courses.
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