Submitted by CanTour Communications John Berkovich
SOUTH SURREY, B.C., - Mike Grob fired a final round 67 and hung on to win the City of Surrey Invitational by two strokes over a charging Graham DeLaet. Grob, who pocketed $24,000 for his sixth Tour title, finished the tournament at 16 under par 272.
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Sharing third spot at 278 is the two-time winner of this event James Lepp (68), Yohann Benson who slipped to a 74, and Zach Shriver who shot 70.
Jeffrey Rangel’s 65 moved him to a share of sixth spot at 279 with Ryan Carter (71), Brad Heaven (74) and Bryn Parry and Tim Wood, both of whom had a 67.
Having parred the first five holes, Grob exploded with five birdies over his next six holes to open up a six shot lead at one point.
Dialing it back a notch, he parred his way home.
Grob, with 18-year-old daughter Dana on his bag, acknowledged that winning at age 45 feels especially sweet.
“You never know if it’s ever going to happen again,” he said. “I only made two bogeys all week.
“I bogeyed No. 1 the first day and No. 16 (Saturday). It was a special week for me. I played great and the putter kept me going. I made a lot of nice par putts when I needed them.”
Although DeLaet made a late charge with birdies at four of his last seven holes, it wasn’t quite enough to catch the steady Grob on this day.
“This was probably my best ballstriking tournament in four or five years, or maybe my life,” said DeLaet. “I just couldn’t make any putts until today.
Faced with a six-stroke deficit at the turn, DeLaet refused to settle for second place.
With Grob watching his every move one group behind, DeLaet reeled off birdies at twelve, fourteen, fifteen and seventeen to close to within two. He got no closer.
Grob continued to play his steady game, and although he cooled off, seven straight pars to end his day sealed the victory.
“I figured if I made a few birdies coming in and maybe Mike made bogey, I still had a chance,” said DeLaet. “I played my best out there but Mike played great today and all week.
“He finished 16 under on this course and my hat is off to him.”
Third round co-leaders Adam Short and Yohann Benson struggled for much of the day.
Short bogeyed the first hole, picked up birdies at three and five, but three bogeys and a double in a five hole stretch dropped him back to a T-17 after a 77.
Benson didn’t have quite as difficult an afternoon but bogeys at one and two, followed by a double at nine, scuttled any chance of victory.
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