Delray Beach's Eric Cole in top 15 at PGA Championship, his second major
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Ending with a bogey on the 72nd hole is, in Eric Cole's words, "not the way you want to finish." But that does not take away from a memorable week at the PGA Championship for the rookie from Delray Beach.
Cole, 34, shot an even-par 70 Sunday to finish with a 1-over 281, good enough to get him into the top 15. Cole opened his second major with a 67 and closed with a 74 and pair of 70s. He led the tournament overnight Thursday after the start was delayed because of frost and Cole had to finish his round Friday morning.
Cole has two top 10s this season, runner-up at the Honda Classic after losing a playoff to Chris Kirk, and tied for fifth at the Mexico Open. But tying for 15th at a major, and one that annually boasts the strongest field of the year, is a career highlight.
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"It feels good," he said. "A few of the weeks I played really well the fields were a little weaker so it feels good to have a good week where I played well and it was a good field.
"But a top 20 on the PGA Tour is a good thing. You had to play a lot of good golf."
Cole, the son of pros Laura Baugh and Bobby Cole, took advantage of the two par 5s Sunday, with two birdies.
On No. 4, his drive found the rough before his second shot traveled 236 yards setting up an impressive approach to 5-feet. He made the putt to get to 1-under.
After a bogey on the par-3 No. 14, Cole had a more challenging putt on the par 5 15th but knocked in the 10-footer to get back to 1 under.
Cole then need a par on No. 18 to join the 14 others who were par or better, but missed a 9-footer.
"Not the way you want to finish but it's just one hole," he said. "I didn't hit a bad drive, just barely right. Just didn't hit a great putt.
"Overall the week was good and I'm focusing on that … and ready to hopefully play well next week."
Shane Lowry, Cole's playing partner Sunday, praised the rookie's game and called him a "late bloomer."
"Not everyone comes out on tour when they're 22. Some people have to work a little bit harder than others," said Lowry, who lives in Jupiter. "Now that he's gotten his chance out there, he looks like he's taken his chance very well."
Cole hoping to qualify for the U.S. Open
Cole will play the next two weeks at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth and the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.
Then, he'll attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open in Columbus, Ohio. That is if he doesn't play his way into the season's third major in the next two weeks.
"I played solid and pretty good, survived a tough day yesterday and for the most part played pretty solidly today. So it was good," he said.
The East Course at Oak Hill Country Club was much more forgiving Sunday after Saturday's downpours. Cole was in the top 10 for a good part of the round but in the end was passed by Patrick Cantlay, Cameron Smith, Sepp Straka, Kurt Kitayama and Cam Davis, all shooting 65 or 66.
"It was a completely different course," Cole said. "Much firmer than yesterday. Playing out of the rough was a little bit more playable. Played a little faster and you could hit more club out of the rough."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: PGA Tour rookie Eric Cole shoots even par to secure top 15 finish at PGA Championship
