Vargas Goes Wire To Wire
The 3rd Annual Guatemala International Open
Guatemala City, Guatemala…A clutch par putt on 18 helped seal the victory for James Vargas (Miami, FL) at the 3rd annual Guatemala International Open at San Isidro CC located outside of Guatemala City. The 11 footer to end his weekend meant Vargas avoided a 5 way playoff at 4 over par for the week.The former University of Florida Gator edged Columbia’s Oswald Villada, Andrew Pratt (Knoxville, TN), Ryan Dillon (Desert Hills, AZ) and Tour Rookie Russell Knox (Jacksonville, FL) each by 1 shot. In fact Villada missed a 4 foot par putt himself that would’ve forced a playoff with Vargas at 3-over.
Speaking of Pratt, the 2007 Nationwide Tour player was 3 under on the day until finishing bogey-bogey, ultimately coming up 1 stroke short after carding a 1 under 71.
After posting rounds of 69 and 70 Thursday and Friday, Vargas struggled mightily on the weekend, watching a 4 stroke lead evaporate with a 75 on Saturday, and a final round 77.
“There’s no doubt I won this tournament during the first two rounds,” said Vargas. “I played well enough in the tough conditions allowing me to struggle on the weekend and still come out on top.”
The total purse for the 3rd annual Guatemala International Open presented by Inguat was $200,000.
Once again, San Isidro CC showed why it is the toughest course on The NGA/Hooters Tour schedule after a tour-wide 4 day stroke average of 76.80.
“Playing here last year really helped me a lot,” added Vargas. “I knew the course would play tough for everyone and that thought actually calmed me down and helped me play well; especially when the conditions were so brutal the first two days.”Vargas pockets $34,000 for the week, and is off to a big head start on the rest of the Hooters Tour which gets back in action at the end of March at Inverrary CC in Lauderhill, FLMarch 24-30, 2008. The First Tee-Inverrary CC Open will feature a $200,000 guaranteed purse as well.