Allenby looking for different outcome this time around
By Lauren Deason, PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The Bear Trap snapped shut and caught Robert Allenby last year.
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A vicious trio of holes (Nos. 15, 16 and 17) on the back nine at PGA National, the Bear Trap -- named after course designer Jack "The Golden Bear" Nicklaus -- barred its teeth in 2007 and kept Allenby out of a four-man playoff.
He made bogey on Nos. 15 and 16, thus narrowing his chances to make the Monday playoff. Allenby had a chance for birdie -- and a chance for an extra-hole date with Mark Wilson, Boo Weekley, Jose Coceres and Camilo Villegas -- on No. 18 but the 40-footer lipped out and sent him packing.
"Had that gone in, things might have been a little different. I might have held the trophy. I've never lost a playoff, so I've got to think my odds are pretty good," Allenby said, adding that he's 10 for 10 during his career in overtime. "But that's golf.
"Maybe that happened for a reason. Maybe that's what's given me the urge this year to try and win it."
Allenby began his revenge at The Honda Classic with a 1-under par 69 on Thursday. He followed that up with 68 in the second round, jumping from a tie for 17th into the top 10.
Friday's 68 consisted of four birdies and two bogeys to give him a 3-under par total after two rounds. Allenby, who began his round on the back nine, sank a 25-footer for birdie on No. 16 and nearly escaped The Bear Trap unharmed until he got tangled up on the 17th hole.
On No. 17, a tricky par-3 that calls for a tee shot over water, Allenby missed landing in the drink but also missed his 50-foot birdie opportunity. He still had a chance to save par with a nine-foot putt but couldn't convert and settled for bogey after an otherwise blemish-free first nine holes.
After the turn, Allenby made two birdies in his first three holes to vault up the leaderboard. As the wind picked up towards the end of the morning and his round, Allenby bogeyed No. 18 to drop a shot on the last hole of the day.
He attempted to draw the ball but instead hit it straight so it landed in the right rough. For his second shot, the lie was so buried it looked like someone had stood on the ball.
"It's not the greatest way to finish, is it? But I mean, it's not going to hurt me. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow I might birdie the last [hole]."
Since The Honda Classic moved to PGA National just last year, only six competitive rounds have occurred. Out of those six rounds, Allenby has notched five rounds in the 60s at the par-70 venue.
"It's a golf course that sets up really well for me. You've definitely got to be a good ball-striker to win around here," Allenby said. "...There's just so many good holes and good quality holes. Even the par 3s, there's not an easy par 3 out there.
"...It's just a good quality golf course. A lot of great holes and you've got to hit it really well to really shoot under par."
Allenby likes the way he's been hitting the ball lately and claims his putting stroke is "probably the best it's been for years." The four-time PGA TOUR winner has made some tweaks to his swing over the last year and fine-tuned his putting technique since the start of 2008.
Something must have worked for the Melbourne, Australia native. After missing the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii Allenby has made five straight cuts and finished inside the top-25 three times this season.
"I think if I was winning, then I could definitely say that I'm playing my best, but obviously without winning, then I'm not playing my best," Allenby said.
"I know there's some good things about to happen. It's a matter of just stay positive and just being really, more importantly, just be patient, because if you force it, it will never happen."
Lest you think that Allenby is still fretting over his past at PGA National, forget it. He won a charity event at PGA National a few weeks ago with 20-under par.
Plus he's not one to lose sleep over lost opportunity.
"By the time I got in my car [last year], it had already gone...You can't dwell on it. Otherwise, you'll never do any good. I've played this game for 17 years as a professional, and I know that you just can't carry anything like that," Allenby said.
"It is what it is. It's golf. Anything can happen. I've lost many tournaments by a shot before, but I've won a lot of tournaments by a shot, as well. You know, I've had my fair share of wins, 21 of them. I know how to win and I know how to accept losing by a shot."
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