Story & Photos by Greg Wise
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Joe Durant Wins 2018 Chubb Classic Joe Durant and wife Tracey
Battling like a champion
down the stretch with a birdie-birdie finish on 17th and 18th, Joe Durant claimed the 2018 Chubb Classic title over five others. The final 9 holes were exciting to watch at The TwinEagles Club in Naples. Durant came in neckin-neck with Steve Stricker over the last six holes. However, it was Durant who came out on top. “It was a roller coaster for sure,” Durant said. “When it gets bunched like it was, anything can happen, and I just kept telling myself if I could just hang in there, give myself a shot at
Final handshake on the 18th between Stricker, Durant & Jiminez 16
it with three or four holes to go, you never know what’s going to happen and fortunately I hit some really good shots down the stretch.” Gaining three strokes on Stricker on Nos. 13 and 14, Durant went eaglebirdie to turn a one-shot deficit into a two-stroke lead. Stricker tied the score at 17-under when he made a six-foot birdie putt on the Par 3, 16th hole as Durant made bogey. “Every time you can have a chance to win out here is a blessing, because it’s so difficult, and you just hate to not take advantage of those opportunities,” Durant said. Durant’s adds the Chubb Championship as his third career win on the PGA TOUR Champions tour and first win since the 3M Championship in 2016. During the week at the Chubb Classic, Durant made 21 birdies, matching his personal best for a 54-hole tournament. Golf Central • Volume 18, Issue 8