January 7, 2010
Anthem (Ariz.)

By Jon Levy - Staff Writer

After a somewhat indifferent 2009 season that was split between The Gateway Tour and Nationwide Tour, 2008 Gateway Tour leading money-winner, Jesse Mueller, started his 2010 professional golf season well -- make that really well -- with an utter domination of Anthem Country Club’s Persimmon Course and the talented Desert Winter Series field this week in the Winter Series’ opening event.

Specifically, with rounds of 62/68/62 (24-under par) -- punctuated by a closing 8-under, 28 on his final nine of the tournament to cap a 9-shot victory over Matt Marshall (63/69/69-201) -- Mueller has perhaps picked up where he left of in his ‘08 Gateway year; a year that netted him over $170,000 by way of four wins and 12 Top 5’s.

That said, he finished 201st on the Nationwide Tour money list last year, after playing just five events, and his 8/16 cuts made on The Gateway Tour in ’09 had him hoping for a better 2010.

With 23 birdies, two eagles and just three bogeys this week while coming off of a recent victory at the Hawaii State Open, 2010 is looking better, indeed.

“Something has just sort of clicked in the last few weeks with my game, especially I’d say with my putting,” stated Mueller of his recent good play. “Obviously, this week, pretty much everything went right and I’d say I got a few breaks with some chip-ins and long putts here and there, but everything was just overall really solid and my game feels great right now.”

Standing at 14-under par through 36 holes, Mueller held a two-stroke lead over Marshall. Likewise, through 45 holes -- with both players shooting 2-under in their opening final round nines -- Mueller maintained his two-stroke lead with nine holes to play, which meant the victory was anything but certain. That’s when he caught fire.

“I made a twenty-footer on (No.) 10, chipped in for eagle on (No.) 11, made about a fifteen-footer on (No.) 12, and then a thirty-five-footer over the ridge on (No.) 13, which was probably the best putt I made all week, and I birdied (No.) 14,” said Mueller of his birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie start to the back nine, which was complemented by two more birdies on Nos. 16 and 18 to finish.

“I really thought I hit it well on those last fives holes,” he continued. “It was probably the most confidence I’ve felt over the ball, as far as feeling like I could go right at the flag, that I’ve had in my whole life.”

With Marshall shooting a respectable, but seemingly pedestrian closing nine of 1-under to fall far short of Mueller’s hot finish, the win was made that much sweeter for the Arizona State University grad by posting the lowest competitive 9 holes of his career.

“I probably couldn’t ever have a lead big enough to feel totally comfortable out there,” joked Mueller in reference to closing in on his 9th-career Gateway Tour win. “By the time I got to (No.) 16 or (No.) 17, I felt a bit more safe, but you just never know on these desert courses because its so easy to hit just one bad shot or two and make a big number.”

Mistake free on his way in, Mueller takes an early lead over the Desert Winter Series money list with the $13,500 win. Following Mueller and Marshall was John Douma (69/66/68-203) in solo 3rd, Craig Leslie (69/67/68-204) in 4th and Benoit Beisser (69/70/67-206, T5), Ben Kern (70/69/67-206, T5), Neil Johnson (70/67/69-206, T5) and Tyler Obermueller (71/66/69-206 T5) in a tie for 5th.

“I can’t really put a finger on it,” surmised Mueller, in concluding reference to the recent up-turn of his game. “I didn’t have the greatest year last year, but I can confidently say that with all of the golf I’ve played -- at the end of each year -- I feel like I’ve gotten better. And, I guess I could say the last few weeks my putting has been better than it was for most of last year. Last year, I had a down year with my putting, but when I’m putting well, everything else seems to go a lot better with the rest of my game.”

Point taken.


Click here for full field results of Desert Winter Series No. 1 at Anthem Country Club and stay tuned for results as the Tour resumes again next week at Trilogy at Vistancia…