COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Brian Stuard’s victory on Monday in the PGA Zurich Classic near New Orleans had a Coldwater connection.
It was the first PGA title for the 33-year-old Napoleon native since he turned pro in 2005.
His long time coach is Gary Robinson who is one of the instructors at the Foundation Golf Center and he said Stuard had to contend with a number of rain delays.
Robinson added Stuard came home a couple of weeks ago and worked on his game for three days. A new putter seemed to help and Robinson said Stuard played with a lot of confidence.
Stuard won on the second hole of a sudden death playoff thanks to an approach shot which wound up two feet from the cup.
The event was shortened to 54 holes due to the rain.
Stuard played on the Foundation’s Junior Tour between 1998 and 2001 when he was named the player of the year.
The win gives Stuard, who is ranked 143rd in the world, a two-year exemption for PGA tournaments and an invitation to the Masters in 2017.
Robinson says the win opens up a whole new world for Stuard.
