Kuchar relishes runner-up finish

Leila Navidi

Matt Kuchar watches a drive from the tee during the final round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin Sunday, October 19, 2008. Kuchar, finished a shot behind Marc Turnesa with a four-round total of 264.

By Steve Silver (contact)

Monday, Oct. 20, 2008 | 1 a.m.

Although Marc Turnesa stole the spotlight at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open by capturing his first PGA title on Sunday, runner-up Matt Kuchar has plenty to celebrate.

Kuchar, a former All-American at Georgia Tech, not only posted his second runner-up finish in his career, but he also earned $442,800 for his performance. That hefty payday moved him into 67th on the PGA Tour money list with his 2008 earnings now exceeding $1.4 million.

His position in the top 70 almost certainly guarantees him a spot on the 2009 Tour. The top 125 on the PGA money list gain exemptions for the following year.

"Getting inside that top 70 is definitely a big deal," said Kuchar, who jumped into that top 125 money list thanks to this tournament alongside Turnesa, Michael Allen and Davis Love III.

The 30-year-old from Winter Park, Fla., snapped a streak of seven consecutive missed cuts due largely to his back-to-back 9-under 63 outings in the first two rounds.

But Kuchar struggled in the third round on Saturday with a 1-under 71. He double-bogeyed the 18th hole to finish that troublesome round, leaving him 19-under and in a three-way tie for 7th place entering Sunday's final round.

Despite shooting a 4-under 68 on Sunday to drop his tournament score to a 24-under 264, Kuchar still fell short of his first PGA title by one stroke.

"I look back and a I think, gosh, if I just had that drive back on 18 yesterday," Kuchar said. "Kind of the one that got away from me and cost me two shots. But the hardest thing about golf is looking back at the ones that could've, would've."

After birdying holes 13 and 14, Kuchar was unable to pick up a stroke on the final four holes to tie Turnesa. Kuchar had previously birdied holes 15 and 16 each round until Sunday.

"It started playing hard on the last couple holes," Kuchar said. "The wind really started picking up. Holes 15 and 16 are definitely birdie holes that I missed opportunities on."

Rough finish for former Rebels

Three UNLV alumni returned to Las Vegas for Timberlake's tournament, but only one recorded a top-10 finish.

Chad Campbell netted a $213,200 paycheck for finishing third with a 22-under 266.

The 2008 Ryder Cup champion had a chance to tie the co-leaders at the time -- Kuchar and Turnesa -- but he miss-hit a shot from the right sand trap on the 18th hole. That error led to a bogey on the par-4, 444-yard hole.

"I wish I had played those three holes in the middle of the back nine a little better," Campbell said. "I've been playing them good all weekend. Struggled through them today, but happy with a 22-under par."

Fellow Rebel Ryan Moore wasn't so fortunate, as he imploded on the final hole Sunday, notching a disastrous quintuple bogey on the 18th.

That nine on the par-4 18 dropped Moore to 17-under for the tournament and plummeted him from a second place tie to a 12-way tie for 24th place. Had he made par on that hole, he would have netted about $200,000. Instead, Moore takes home about $29,000.

The third former UNLV star in the tournament, Chris Riley, failed to make the cut. He shot a 70 in the first round and a 72 in the second round.

Round of the day

Tim Herron turned in the low round of the day on Sunday with a 10-under 62.

That score matched the scores posted by Turnesa and Zach Johnson on Thursday and was one shot shy of Herron's career-low 61 that he recorded in the 2003 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Herron's solid outing helped him finish tied for sixth place with a payday of $142,475.

Steve Silver can be reached at 948-7822 or steve.silver@lasvegassun.com.