Flanagan Takes 2nd Straight Nationwide Event
Former Hooters Tour Member Wins BMW Celebrity Pro-Am
Travelers Rest, SC (May 20, 2007)…Another week on the Nationwide Tour another victory by a former Hooters Tour member. Australian Nick Flanagan captured his second straight Nationwide Tour victory Sunday at The BMW Celebrity Pro-Am at The Cliffs.
Flanagan, the 2003 US Amateur champion, carded rounds of 68-72-66-65 for a four day total of fifteen-under par 271 and a one stroke victory over Nicholas Thompson.
"Two for two is good fun," said Flanagan, a 22-year-old native of New South Wales, Australia. "I'm planning on playing the next three weeks so hopefully I'll get another one soon."
"I wanted to hit nine greens on the back nine," said Flanagan, who led the field this week with 26.5 putts per round. "I managed to hit eight of them and luckily that was enough. I felt really good hitting the ball this week and I putted well all week."
With the victory, Flanagan’s $119,000 first-place check moves him into the top spot with $229,077. Currently first on the money list, Flanagan has nearly secured his spot in the season ending Top 25 and a guaranteed spot on the PGA Tour next season.
"Hopefully I've cemented myself in the Top 25 now," said Flanagan. "But better yet, this means I only need one more win. I'd love to go out and win another one and be able to play the last half of the year on the PGA TOUR. This means I can just go out and have fun the rest of the year."
In one season on the Hooters Tour Flanagan collected two runner-up finishes and four top ten’s. In his eight starts during the 2005 season, Flanagan earned more than $26,800 in earnings.
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the 3rd largest men’s 72-hole professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours, and boasts alumni like 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis, 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk, British Open and PGA champion John Daly, two-time US Open winner Lee Janzen, British Open champion Tom Lehman, as well as PGA champion David Toms, Tour Championship winner Chad Campbell and back to back Reno Tahoe Open winner Vaughn Taylor to name just a few. All told, the NGA/Hooters Tour alumni have an incredible nine Majors to their credit. The NGA Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 golf professionals acquire their PGA, Nationwide and Champion’s Tour card. In fact, 34% of the players that earned their 2006 PGA Tour cards, and 43% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the NGA Hooters Tour.
For more information about the NGA Hooters Tour, please check out our website at www.hooterstour.com or contact the Tour office toll free at 800-992-8748.