Sep 19, 2006 By Dave Stofcheck 4 min read

FARMINGTON – The third round of the 84 Lumber Classic had just been completed, and Joe Hardy knew it was time to bargain. In less than 24 hours, the tournament would be history. If this, the final 84 Lumber Classic, were to end its four-year run by strolling off into the sunset, somebody was going to have to do something.

A blanket of clouds had snuggled up next to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, and for three days, wrapped itself around Mystic Rock Golf Course like a straight jacket.

Throughout his life, Hardy has had a knack for getting things done, and this time was no different.

A couple of phone calls later, the matter was taken care of.

On Sunday, the 84 Lumber Classic crowned Ben Curtis its final champion, and did indeed ride off into an honest-to-goodness sunset. But the moment was bittersweet, nonetheless.

“I’m not real happy,” said Greg Kraft, who trailed the lead by just two strokes after the third round. “The first year they had the event is when I got sick, and then I didn’t play for three years trying to get healthy. I’m glad I was able to make it this time, and hopefully in the future we’ll be back.”

Hardy, the man responsible for bringing the PGA Tour to Fayette County, promises that much, at least on some capacity.

Whether it be another PGA Tour event, the NCAA Finals, a Champions Tour event or a high-profile exhibition, Hardy vows Nemacolin Woodlands will see its share of golf in the future.

“I’m sure of that,” Hardy said. “We’re not looking backward. We’re moving forward.”

Curtis’ career appears to be heading in same direction as well, after he picked up his second victory of the season Sunday and the check for $828,000 that went along with it.

With a steady putter down the stretch, Curtis held off Charles Howell III and a slew of other upstart golfers, who for three rounds, took advantage of soupy conditions at Mystic Rock and knocked down birdie after birdie.

After 54 holes, Curtis and Howell shared the lead, but 16 other golfers were lurking, trailing by just four strokes.

Of those 16 golfers, 11 were looking for their first career Tour victory. But one by one, they fell to the pressure final rounds usually exert, leaving Curtis and Howell to decide things.

Which Curtis did, when he recorded three birdies in a span of five holes beginning with the par-3, No. 12.

Curtis’ story is unique in that, at 26 years of age, he won the British Open, one of golf’s four majors. Winning itself was a grand accomplishment; that Curtis did it in his first-ever appearance in a major made it even more improbable.

What followed was a string of futility lasting 67 events, in which Curtis’ British Open victory at Royal St. George was questioned by many who wondered if it was a fluke.

Curtis finally put an end to his victory drought earlier this year when he captured the Booz Allen Classic, leading the Washington, D.C.-based tournament wire-to-wire.

Sunday’s win gave Curtis $2,134,126 in earnings this season and bumped him up to No. 22 on the Tour’s money list. He also joins Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stuart Appleby and Geoff Ogilvy as the only golfers with at least two Tour victories this year.

“I’m sure it crossed my mind (that I wouldn’t win again after the British Open),” Curtis said. “But when you play at this level, you’d like to think that you can play.

“Just when I was starting to doubt myself, I finished third last year at the Western, and I had a couple other decent finishes. I had the lead going into the second, third and fourth rounds and just didn’t pull it through.

“But this year obviously helped with the victory (at the Booz Allen) and it helped with the confidence. It gets the monkey off your back, and now I know I can play and go out there and not have any worries. (I can) just go play golf and see what can happen.”