Kent State's Ben Curtis Make Ryder Cup Squad

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He couldn't seal the deal down the stretch at the PGA Championship but check this out:


Curtis Earns Ryder Cup Berth with Second Place Finish at PGA Championship
Courtesy: Kent State Athletic Communications
Release: 08/10/2008

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Just three short weeks from finishing in the top-10 in the British Open, Kent State graduate Ben Curtis tied Sergio Garcia for second at the PGA Championship with a four-round total of 279 (-1).

Padraig Harrington won the tournament, turning in identical rounds of 66 (-4) on Saturday and Sunday. This is Harrington’s second consecutive major win and third in his last six. Due to rains on Saturday afternoon, Curtis was forced to play 36 holes on Sunday. Curtis was looking to be the first player to win a major playing 36 holes on the final day since 1979 (Seve Ballesteros in the British Open). He shot a 68 (-2) and held a one-stroke lead over J.B. Holmes (-1) going in to the afternoon.

The former Golden Flash wasted no time, opening a three-stroke lead with a birdie coupled with a triple bogey by Holmes on the first hole. The big lead would be short lived as Sergio Garcia reached two under par with a birdie on one and an eagle on two. Curtis would reach as low as -4 but bogeys on eight and nine gave Garcia (-3) the lead at the turn.

While the focus was on Garcia and Curtis, Harrington slowly made a charge and made it a three-way race. As Curtis missed a golden opportunity to take the lead with a bogey on 16, Harrington a 12-foot birdie putt after a near-perfect tee shot on the par-3 17th to go to three-under and led by two strokes.

Despite the now two-shot lead over Curtis, it looked as if Harrington would leave the door open with errant shots on 18, the toughest hole on the course during the week. But Harrington holed an 18-foot par putt to all but assure victory.

Curtis would par the final hole of a grueling 36-hole day to finish tied for second.

With his finish in the PGA Championship, Curtis qualified for the US Ryder Cup team. The United States will take on the European team September 16-21 at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.