Tournament co-director Jim McPartland (left) presents the Bob-Brooks-Sam Farmer Memorial Trophy to Seth Fair of Whitestown, IN. Saturday, July 24 after Fair won his second GCRO title. (Photo courtesy Draeger Photography)
Well, as Samuel Cyr was in a similar situation Saturday, leading the TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open, presented by UFG Insurance, heading into the final round, Seth Fair was as well.
Fair, 34, was trailing big sticks Mark Blakefield and Paul Apyan in the 2016 GCRO after each had posted 11-under-par and 10-under-par rounds, respectively, in the second round. Fair was three down entering the third and final round, but clawed his way back to win the title.
This time Fair was five shots down to Cyr, who had posted a 10-under 62 in the second round Friday at Hunters Ridge Golf Course. Cyr was looking for a different outcome than in 2019 when he tied for third. Fair was looking for the same outcome. He got it.
Cyr, 35, stumbled a little and Fair (Whitestown, IN) eventually took advantage en route to winning his second GCRO title and the $30,000 first-place prize. Fair joins Derek Lamely and Rob Bradley as the only two-time winners of the GCRO.
Fair shot a 6-under-par 66 and finished at 16-under 200 for the tournament. Cyr had a 2-over 74 and finished second at 13 under.
“I wasn’t sure how many I was down, I thought it was at least three or four in (20)16.” said Fair. “Kind of sets up the same situation. Guy shots 10, 11 under in the second round. I mean, Sam’s a good player, those two guys in ‘16 are great players, but sometimes it’s just hard to back that up. So I felt if I put a little heat on him maybe I would have a chance. It worked out and feels good to get another one.”
Cyr (LaJolla, CA) had two bogeys and a double-bogey on the front nine but still took a one-shot lead into the back nine. That was enough for Fair.
“You know Sam gave me a few shots early in the round and I was hanging in there. I was playing fine but never really capitalized,” said Fair. “I think I squared up with him on 12 and then birdied 15, 16 and 17 to give myself a nice cushion going into 18. I hit some good shots, made some nice putts.”
Fair, who had one bogey in the 54-hole tournament, put on a clinic on those three holes. He hit his 125-yard approach on 15 to 8 feet, hit his tee ball on 200-yard par 3 16th to 10 feet and then drained about a 12-foot putt on 17. Cyr had all pars on the back nine.
“I think I just had a couple management mistakes, missed a couple putts I probably shouldn’t have,” said Cyr. “And I just couldn’t make a birdie on the back.
“(Fair) played well today. He hit the ball solid, putted really good, he did everything he needed to do. He’s been in this position before. He’s a good player, so no, congrats to him . He played solid. I wasn’t so concerned about him, I was more concerned about me. I just didn’t hit it good, didn’t putt good.”
Cyr, battling a hand injury, will head down 380 to Riverside and the Iowa Open next week, then rest the hand before a tournament in Nebraska.
Fair will play in the Colorado Open next week then take some time off before Q-school in the fall.
“I’ve been playing a lot of golf,” said Fair, who also has two runner-up finishes at the GCRO. “I’ve had some great results, been close but just haven’t finished it off, so it feels real nice to get this one done.”Mark Anguiano (Los Angeles, CA) had a very solid first appearance at the GCRO and finished third, one stroke behind Cyr. Hayden Wood (Scottsdale, AZ), who tied for best round of the day with Fair, and Braden Bailey (Groves, TX) tied for fourth at 10 under.
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