Georgia Golf Vacations

Bryant Coasts to Victory as Woods Claims Another Money Title

After shooting a course-record 62 on Thursday, Bart Bryant held off distant challengers on Sunday and cruised to his 3 rd victory of the season at the Tour Championship in Atlanta . It was the finishing touch on a magical year for the 42-year-old golfer, who finished 9 th on this year's money list. Prior to 2005, he had never finished in the top-80.

Tiger Woods finished second, six shots off the pace set by Bryant. In doing so the 29-year-old Woods earned $715,000 on the way to capturing his 6 th money title in nine years. A well-deserved honor in what may have been his most productive season on Tour, winning two majors and two World Golf Championship events while appearing in just twenty-one tournaments.

But the story on Sunday was Bryant's victory. Refreshingly humble, he patiently rehashed his life story time and again for the inquiring media. He can hardly blame them, it's quite a story.

He discussed how close he had come to giving up on his PGA dreams, struggling to raise a young family on Florida mini-tours and failing to qualify for his tour card again and again. In all, he has made eight trips to Q-school, each time more gut-wrenching than the last. He had rotator cuff surgery in 1992, and has had both elbows operated on in the past five years. Enough people had faith in his abilities to convince him to keep trying, and the hard work has finally paid off.

He has won three of his last thirty-two professional tournaments, having never come close in his first 209. The $1.17 million purse he won on Sunday is more than the prize money he made in his first eighteen years as a pro.

Bryant was able to enjoy his victory in the presence of his wife, kids, extended family, and longtime friends. He stayed humble through it all, and seemed as genuinely surprised as the rest of the golf world. In a weekend dominated by trade rumors, suspensions, locker-room brawls, and sports agents, it was a refreshing reminder of why we the fans love sports so much in the first place.

obody, let alone Bart Bryant, could have predicted this finale to a memorable year in golf.