Rhein Gibson from Edmond, Okla., is the BMW Charity Pro-Am tournament champion, earning $126,000 for the win. Gibson finished the tournament 21-under-par 193.
Gibson’s first Web.com Tour victory earns him 500 points and secures his PGA TOUR card for the 2019-20 season. Gibson had rounds of 66-64-63-193.
The tournament was trimmed to 54-holes with rain throughout the tournament suspending Saturday’s third round. The final round began at 10 a.m. Sunday after a 2-hour, 30-minute rain delay.
Gibson’s final round included a bogey-free 8-under 63 to overcome a two-shot deficit to start the round. He recorded three birdies and an eagle on the front nine and three more birdies at Nos. 10, 15 and 16 to reach 21-under.
“I wasn’t sure we’d get 54 holes in, but I wanted to go out there with the clean mindset that we’d get 54 in,” Gibson said. “I tried to keep the pedal down and try and make as many birdies as I can. Fortunately, I was able to win by three strokes. It sets me up for another stint on the PGA TOUR so I’m excited.”
The 2017 BMW Charity Pro-Am was also shortened to 54 holes.
Gibson holds the world record (recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records) with a 16-under 55 as the lowest official round of golf ever recorded. Gibson accomplished the feat in 2012 at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmund, Oklahoma.
Gibson was part of this week’s golf conversation when amateur Alex Ross shot a 15-under 57 this wee.
"Shooting 55 was very sweet don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want to be known for it,” Gibson said. “It’s great to validate that with a good win today, especially on television. I know what I’ve been doing is correct, I’m really happy to see it pay off.”
“I had a great week last week where I finished fourth, so I got back on the right track with the guys with points, moving to 32nd,” said Gibson. He is now seventh on the Web.com Tour points standings. “I knew a couple of good events coming up would lock it up, but to lock it up with a win and move into the top 10 is kind of special, especially to do it here in Greenville, South Carolina.”
Michael Miller finished runner-up at 18-under, three strokes back. He has missed 10 of 12 cuts this season with a best finish of tied for 50th.
“This was a huge week for me," Miller said. “Solo-second, I think that is close to enough points that I don’t have to worry about things for the rest of the year. I want to build off of this week and keep going. I know now that the game is there and I can play under pressure.
Brian Campbell, Jonathan Randolph and Kristoffer Ventura tied for third at 16-under 198.
Notables:
- X3 Series Low Handicap Champion: Jason Payne
- X6 Series Low Handicap Celebrity Champion: Lucas Black (Actor, NCIS)
- X5 Series High Handicap Champion: Chad Schuchmann
- X7 Series High Handicap Celebrity Champion: Shep Rose (Reality TV, Southern Charm)
- Volunteer of the year, Rose Marie Schuler
- Phil Hight winning caddie of the tournament. The tournament will make a donation to the Evans Scholars Foundation in Hight’s name.
- The caddies of the Web.com Tour raised $5,000 this week for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital.
- Featured charities benefiting from this year’s tournament included: Cliffs Residents Outreach, Mobile Meals of Spartanburg, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Upstate and Roper Mountain Science Center.
- Next year’s tournament is June 1-7, 2020.