by J. Justin Boggs, Columbus Wired (7/26/10)

The final round of the Nationwide Tour’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational at OSU Scarlet Course started with a downpour and nearly an hour long rain delay on Sunday. D.J. Brigman finished 7-under 64 for the day and 10-under 274 for the tournament to win his second ever career professional tournament.

D.J. Brigman salutes his caddie after carding a 10-under par to win the 2010 NCHI Tournament. (photo by Joel Torres, Columbus Wired)

The last time Brigman won a title was in 2003 when he won the Permian Basin Charity Golf Classic. Brigman also has had a couple of stints on the PGA Tour, most recently in 2007 when he made the cut in half of the 22 tournaments he participated in.

“It is a great feeling, my goal coming into today was 10-under,” Brigman said. “I felt like with the conditions the way they were and when we got the rain today, 10-under would be a good outcome.”

With the $144,000 purse, the invitational is one of the largest winner purses in the Nationwide Tour and is an important figure when trying to qualify for the PGA Tour at the end of the season.

Final scoreboard (photo by Joel Torres, Columbus Wired)

Brigman needed only 25 putts en route to his victory. The soft greens allowed for more aggressive play on putts. Brigman rallied from four shots back on Sunday.

“The rain we got this morning softened the course big time,” Brigman said.

Brigman had to wait about an hour after completing his round before learning his fate.

Daniel Summerhays chip from No. 18. He bogeyed the hole and a tie for third place. (photo by Joel Torres, Columbus Wired)

Former invitational winner Daniel Summerhays had the best chance to at least force a playoff. Summerhays was at 9-under for the tournament going into the par-3 No. 17.

Summerhays parred No. 17 and went into No. 18 needing a birdie. After a solid tee shot, his approach shot bounced off the green and into the rough.

Summerhays’ third shot stopped just a couple feet short of the cup. His par putt sailed wide and he bogeyed finishing at 8-under for the tournament and 1-under 70 for the round.

“I am happy with my finish, a little disappointed because I thought today was the day,” Summerhays said. “I am going to keep working and keep fighting.”

William McGirt salutes the crowd after his 5-under par round set the pace for the day. (photo by Joel Torres, Columbus Wired)

The early clubhouse leader was William McGirt who shot a 7-under 64 for the day and finished at 7-under overall for the tournament. McGirt finished his round two hours prior to the leaders, whom at the time were sitting at 8-under par for the tournament.

“Just trying to go out and make as many birdies as I could,” McGirt said following his round. “Seven shots back, you have to make as many as you can and take advantage of it on the front nine… Sit around and see what happens. Hope the wind kicks up.”

Jamie Lovemark tees it up. (photo by Joel Torres, Columbus Wired)

Tournament runner-up Jamie Lovemark finished at 9-under for the tournament and had a 5-under 66 and had five birdies and no bogeys.

“It was easy, a little windier,” Lovemark said. “(The course) was a lot easier than the last two days.  On the first day, I didn’t get a good aim.”

54-hole leader Nick Flanagan never got the momentum he needed to win the tournament. He bogeyed No. 1 and finished the day at 1-under 70, two strokes back of Brigman.

“The course was playing a lot softer today and that made it easy to go at pins,” Flanagan said. “There are 70 guys out there playing so when two or three or more of them are going to have a good round. It does not take much to go from two or three behind to two or three in front.”

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