Pep Talk

Inspired by a basketball coach, ex-hockey player Jerry Kelly golfs his ball better than anyone at the Zurich Classic

Long time coming: Kelly struggled last season, but the hard work he has put in with coach/brother-in-law Schuman paid off with his first victory since 2002.

By Jim Moriarty

Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/AP Photo

May 4, 2009

On a Pete Dye golf course designed to deliver disaster every bit as much as its more famous cousin with the island green and the cavernous clubhouse in north Florida, in an eclectic city destined to survive disasters of its own, a serious foodie who craves the taste of New Orleans got served a tasty order of dead-duck jambalaya just in time to win the Zurich Classic. Jerry Kelly looked as though he had given away the chance for his first victory since the Advil Western Open in 2002 only to have a handful of guys turn around and serve it right back to him like the platter of Drago's charbroiled oysters someone handed Kelly as he came off the 18th green with a one-shot victory, a million or so bucks and an invitation to the Masters. I garontee.

On Saturday night the 42-year-old Kelly, who was three shots clear of the field, prepped for his final round with a meal at the Bourbon House in the French Quarter. He was joined by Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, who was taking a break from watching film of his team's playoff opponent, the New Orleans Hornets. According to Kelly, Karl had a nugget of wisdom for him, too. "You're a hockey player," Karl said to the Wisconsin native. "Go out and kick some butt."

So when Kelly bogeyed the eighth and 10th holes and found himself three shots behind Charles Howell III, who had gone out in just 31 strokes, that's exactly what he told himself and pretty much what he did—with a little help from his friends. "I knew what the back side had been doing to everybody all week. My caddie, Eric Meller, said, 'The back's been yours all week, let's go take it,' and he was right," Kelly said. "I actually brought up Coach Karl's words in my head. He said, 'Don't put your head down, just go forward.' "

Kelly has been going forward with his swing for what he figures is more than three years under the tutelage of the University of Wisconsin golf coach, Jim Schuman, his brother-in-law. The changes haven't come quickly or easily. Last year, for the first time, Kelly missed more cuts on tour than he made. In the meantime, he was relying on his short game to stay afloat, and no one helped him more with that than his fellow Cheesehead, Steve Stricker, who not only stayed at the TPC Louisiana to watch his good friend finish off his third tour victory, but gave him a lift home in his rent-a-jet, too.

After the bogey on the 10th, Kelly hit a drive and a 3-wood just to the right of the par-5 11th and got up and down for a birdie. He added another when he hit a 7-iron inside 10 feet on the 14th to get to one under par for his round, 14 under for the tournament. Cue the ducks.

The closing holes at TPC Louisiana are a mischievous gumbo of temptation and tragedy. The 16th is a drivable par 4 with water and big numbers all the way up the left. The 17th is a par 3 with water on the left and nothing but diabolical humps and bumps every place else. The 18th is a reachable par 5 with deep fairway bunkers left, water all the way up the right and no good place to miss it anywhere around the green. And the wind was kicking up a fuss, as it had all week, from the general direction of the oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. All and all, it's the kind of finish that proves selling pints of blood is an easier way to make a living than playing golf.

Now, here comes the flying formation, in no particular order: Rory Sabbatini aggressively hits driver over the 16th, lips out his eagle chip and misses the birdie putt from inside three feet. He then misses the 17th green to the right and can't get up and down. He reaches the back fringe of the 18th in two brilliant shots but can't get the putt to drop and posts 13 under.

Charlie Wi doesn't make a bogey all day but misses a 13-footer for birdie on the 18th and ties Sabbatini.

David Toms struggles early, birdies five of six holes in the middle of his round, then goes mute from the 12th hole in to finish one behind Wi and Sabbatini.

Ouch. Poor Charles Howell III. This one's gonna hurt. He's two up on Sabbatini, Wi and Kelly, but bogeys the 15th when he drives it in the fairway bunker and can't get home with a 5-iron. He makes an outstanding par-saving putt on the 16th after fairly butchering the short hole, then three-putts the 17th. On the 18th he aims for the front bunker with his second and slings a sweeping hook out towards the water on the right. It scampers around the bunker protecting the front middle of the green and runs off the steep embankment in the back. He bumps a 9-iron up onto the back shelf and misses to finish tied with Wi and Sabbatini.

Last but not least, Steve Marino. Playing with Kelly, he is quiet all day. Then, he pitches in from 35 yards right of the 16th and suddenly, where did he come from? He's within a shot, too. But he drives it under the face of one of the fairway bunkers on the left of the 18th fairway, advances his second 30 yards, then dumps his third in the front bunker and bogeys for 12 under.