Sean O’Hair came to the Wells Fargo Championship with two PGA TOUR victories on his resume and the memory of losing a five-stroke Sunday lead to Tiger Woods a month earlier at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He relied on those memories and experience to earn his third victory and earn his place among the elite players on the PGA TOUR.
Said 2007 Wells Fargo Championship winner Tiger Woods, who would finish two strokes back of O’Hair: “He’s got all the talent, we know that.”
Looking Back at the 2009 Wells Fargo Championship
With his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship, 26-year-old Sean O’Hair became one of only three players on the PGA TOUR under the age of 30 with at least three wins, joining Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott.
During the Wednesday Pro-Am, O’Hair may have seen a glimpse of things to come by week’s end. He shot a 64 and announced to his coach that his game was ready. A first-round 69 placed O’Hair among the top 20 on the leader board. He followed with a 72 on Friday but remained within striking distance heading into the weekend.
On Saturday, O’Hair moved back into the lead pack with a 67 that left him tied for fifth and three strokes behind 54-hole leader Zach Johnson. His 67 matched the low round of the day and the West Chester, Pennsylvania residence was in perfect position as the stage was set for a Sunday shootout at Quail Hollow Club.
At one point Sunday, six players had at least a share of the lead but it was O’Hair who was the only player in the final six pairings to break 70. O’Hair was four strokes back after a bogey on the fourth hole. However, he played the next 12 holes in 6-under. The key stretch started at the 12th, where a birdie tied him at 11-under with Bubba Watson and Lucas Glover. O’Hair two-putted for birdie at the par-5, 15th and then he hit a brilliant 8-iron to 8 feet to birdie the 16th and take a two-stroke lead.
Down the stretch, Watson bogeyed 16 and Glover bogeyed 17 to give a little cushion for O’Hair.
Meanwhile, Woods recorded ten consecutive pars to finish at 9-under. But as many champions before him have done, O’Hair bogeyed the final two holes for a 69 and had to wait for Glover’s birdie attempt on 18 for the tie. Glover failed to make the putt and O’Hair became the second consecutive player under 30 to win the Wells Fargo Championship.