With his mom and aunt in the audience and hundreds of countrymen cheering him on, Merritt’s Roger Sloan coolly sank an eight-foot putt on the first playoff hole to win the Nova Scotia Open in Halifax on Sunday — his first win on the Web.com Tour.
Sloan’s victory, and claim to the $117,000 first prize, concluded a marathon day that saw the Canadian duke it out with American Derek Fathauer for 36 holes before deciding things on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
The rare double round on a Sunday was necessitated by the cancellation of all play the day before as the last vestiges of Tropical Storm Arthur passed through the Maritimes — bringing gusting 75-kilometre-an-hour winds to the host Ashburn Golf Club.
Sloan was as much relieved as elated by his victory on home soil.
“I don’t know what feels better — to win or to be finally done today,” the 27-year-old golfer told assembled media shortly after being presented with a beautiful trophy manufactured by NovaScotian Crystal and a giant cheque.
Sloan and Fathauer battled for the lead throughout Sunday, although the Canadian tried not to think about the duel that was taking place.
“I saw a leaderboard coming down the 8th hole, and I knew I was tied with Derek at 11-under,” said Sloan. “On the back nine, I had no idea. I knew that if I just focused on one shot at a time, things would just kind of take care of themselves.”
Sloan, a co-leader after the first two days (67-65) with Mexico’s José de Jesus Rodriguez, shot rounds of 71 and 70 on the final day while Fathauer charged home with a 71 and closing 66.
However, the native of Jupiter, Florida faltered slightly down the stretch. He bogeyed holes 16 and 18 in regulation, three-putting from 25 feet on the last hole.
Sloan had his own challenges coming home, most notably on the par-five 17th. The Canadian flew the green on his second shot and landed in a hazard down a steep hill. He managed to get up onto the slope behind the putting surface with his third shot, then chipped to within five feet of the hole on his fourth. He made par.
On the first playoff hole, Fathauer’s drive found the trees while Sloan split the fairway. The American got to the green in three but his 30-foot par attempt missed. Sloan, on the green in two, calmly holed his par putt for the victory.
“I hit an absolutely poor first putt (from 40 feet out),” said the winner. “It was a little bit of nerves, and I didn’t put a good stroke on it. Fortunately, I came through at the end.”
Following the win, an exhausted Sloan said, “We were out on the course for over 12 hours. That’s a long time to hold your game together. It’s a lot of mileage. My last six or seven holes, I began to feel it in my hips, my knees and in my feet.”
Sloan, who now makes his home in Houston, Texas, was thrilled to have his mom and aunt in attendance.
“I’m just happy to share the experience with the people that mean the most to me in my life — my family and my closest friends.”
Sloan’s first Tour title coming on Canada’s East Coast held special significance for him.
“My mom’s dad, my grandfather, immigrated to Canada in 1955 and landed at Pier 21 in Halifax. I love being Canadian. This means so much to win here,” Sloan told audience members, who had greeted his playoff victory with a spontaneous singing of O’Canada.
The transplanted Canadian said that a win on this year’s Web.com Tour wasn’t a stretch of the imagination.
“I have faith in my abilities, and I do understand what it takes to win — hard work and dedication.
“At this level, so many guys are playing so well that you never really know when the opportunity is going to present itself. You just need to be prepared and make sure you’re ready every single week.”
Sloan’s win at the Nova Scotia Open has earned him an exemption to this year’s Canadian Open, which runs from July 21 to the 27 at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Ile Bizard, Que.
It will be Sloan’s third appearance at the RBC-sponsored event. In 2013, he finished 52nd at Oakville, Ont.’s Glen Abbey Golf Club. In 2011, he missed the cut at the Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.
Sloan’s victory on the weekend also moved him from 80th to 12th spot on the Web.com Tour money earnings list for this year — all but guaranteeing him a top-25 finish and a PGA Tour card for next season.
Sloan joins Adam Hadwin as the only Canadians to win on the Web.com Tour this season.
Sloan is in Sandy, Utah this week for the next stop on the Web.com Tour. — the $625,000 Zion’s Bank Utah Open. He said that the win in Nova Scotia hasn’t changed his focus.
“My goals aren’t any different. Come Thursday, the slate is clean. It doesn’t matter what you did last week.”
