New York’s Dylan Newman Wins Event No. 1 in PGA Tournament Series

It took Dylan Newman about three minutes to make the dreaded drive in the cart back to the 13th tee on the Ryder Course.

Enough time to cool down.

Leading Event No. 1 in the PGA Tournament Series by a shot Tuesday, Newman had just “sniped” his drive on the par-5 hole, leading to a lost ball.

“I was very annoyed with myself when I was driving back to the tee,” said Newman of New Rochelle, N.Y. “Just hit a horrible drive. But when I got to the tee, I calmed down and said, ‘Let’s just make a bogey with a birdie on the second ball.’”

That’s exactly what Newman did, going over the green in two shots and chipping it close. It was the definition of a good bogey.

“That helped me secure the victory,” Newman said after an even-par 71 left him at 3-under 139. “I never lost the lead.”

Newman birdied the par-5 17th hole to break away from a late five-way tie for the lead to earn a one-shot victory over Domenico Geminiani (69) of Italy and Tim Pearce (69) of Birmingham, Mich., on a cold, breezy day at PGA Golf Club.

“There was a decent amount of adversity on the back nine,” Newman said. “Not sure if I ever won a tournament with a lost ball.”

Tuesday’s victory was Newman's third in the last four PGA Tournament Series events (he won Nos. 4 and 5 last year), and the $5,000 first prize gives him an early lead as he tries to win his third money title in the last five years.

No surprise Geminiani was on Newman’s heels. Geminiani won last year’s Event No. 6 to edge Newman for the money title. Geminiani also has won two of the last three National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championships. Geminiani missed birdie putts inside 10 feet on the last two holes.

“I played solid overall. The conditions were so tough,” Geminiani said. “I had a couple chances the last two holes, hit a couple good putts. I’m happy for Dylan. He’s been playing phenomenal.”

Pearce was the first player in the clubhouse at 2-under. Half of his four birdies came on par-3s (Nos. 5 and 12), but he finished with six pars as he tried to win a PGA Tournament Series event for the second consecutive year.

“If you can birdie the par-3s out here, you’re doing well,” Pearce said. “I’m still trying to scrape the rust off from Michigan. Winning last year definitely helped a lot. In previous years, I would have gotten nervous. Today, I was just having fun.”

Jeff Sorenson (70) of Blaine, Minn., and Alex Hoffman (73) of Frederick, Md., were part of the five-way tie for the lead, but finished with a bogey and a double bogey, respectively, at 18. Both players saw their approaches to the par-4 hole plug in a greenside bunker.

“I putted really well, but just made a couple of dumb bogeys,” Sorenson said. “At 18, I tried to hit a soft 54 (-degree wedge) and overcut it. I should have gone left and left myself with a downhill putt.”

Hoffman had a wild finish, making double bogey at 15, eagle at 17 and double bogey at 18. He finished tied for fifth with Trevor Bensel (70) of Colorado, Pa.

“I three-putted from 3 feet on 15. That was unfortunate,” Hoffman said. “Not sure what happened there. That green always gives me fits.”

Event No. 2 will be held Thursday and Friday on the Dye Course. The PGA Tournament Series is presented by GolfPass.