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CHARITIES WIN BIG AT KRAFT SHOOT-OUT
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Watson and Stadler capture Kraft Shoot-Out title, Zuback wows crowd with drives and four local charities share $1 million purse
Jason Zuback walked down the 16th fairway at Hillcrest Country Club on Monday afternoon, arm-in-arm with Special Olympian Roberto Eguia.
Zuback had just bombed a 410-yard drive to win $100,000 for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in the Kraft Shoot-Out.
"I hit a big one just for you guys," Zuback told Eguia, a 13-year-old from Boise, "because you guys inspire me."
Apparently, though, the longest drive of the day wasn't enough for Eguia.
"You're going to make an eagle," he told Zuback.
And he did.
Zuback knocked a wedge to 3 feet and picked up his gimme eagle on the par-5 to beat three PGA Tour members and win another $70,000, a prize that went to the Boys and Girls Club of Ada County.
Zuback played with Jason Gore, Bubba Watson and Kevin Stadler in the Shoot-Out, which doled out a $1 million purse to four Idaho charities. Zuback, the five-time World Long Drive champion, played terrific golf over the final four holes — after meeting Eguia in the 14th fairway.
"Just to watch Zuback hit it, that was unbelievable," Gore said. "He's amazing."
Watson and Stadler won the nine-hole skins game — earning $330,000 for the Community Detox Center. Zuback and Gore won $170,000 for the Boys and Girls Club.
The players also competed in skills competitions on each hole — five closest-to-the-pin contests and four long-drive contests. Each team won $250,000, with one check going to the Treasure Valley Family YMCA and the other to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games.
The fairly even distribution of the money was a welcome sight for the charities, which wanted a nice chunk of the purse but didn't want their friends to get shut out. The charities have many connections between them — YMCA CEO Jim Everett, for example, has a child who is a Special Olympian.
"What a great day for the community," Everett said. "As much as I'd like to have $500,000, I'd actually feel bad for Special Olympics."
With so much money on the line, the charities made the atmosphere at Hillcrest feel more like a high school pep rally than a pro golf tournament.
YMCA representatives played the song "YMCA" on a boombox, chanted "YMCA" and the names of their players, and held up signs thanking the players and extolling the virtues of the YMCA, like honesty and responsibility.
Friends of the Community Detox Center project, including Boise mayor Dave Bieter, wore blue T-shirts with "Bubba Backers" on the back.
Two Special Olympians walked down the fairways with Gore and Zuback.
And the Boys and Girls Club brought about 30 kids to the course.
"This is the most fun I've ever had raising money in my life," Bieter said.
The players enjoyed the unique atmosphere, too — as evidenced by the size of their smiles. All of them are longtime friends of the Albertsons Boise Open, which begins Thursday at Hillcrest.
"It was definitely different," Stadler said, "but it was a blast."
Stadler played the best golf of the group, sinking three birdie putts and making an eagle on the par-4 15th to win four skins. Watson made three birdies, winning the skin on No. 18, and Gore made one.
Stadler provided the shot of the day on No. 15 — hitting a driver from 290 yards to 4 feet, 9 inches. Zuback already had knocked his drive on the green, but he was more than 27 feet away.
Stadler's shot won the $50,000 closest-to-the-pin prize for YMCA and his eagle gave the $60,000 skin to Community Detox Center.
He usually hits driver on that hole, but not with such success.
"I never hit the green (before), I don't think," Stadler said.
As usual, though, Zuback was the talk of the day.
He drove the green on No. 15, made the eagle on No. 16 and drove the green again on the 325-yard, uphill par-4 18th. His shot to the back of the green won the $100,000 closest-to-the-pin contest. All of that came after he met Eguia.
"He said he wanted an eagle out there, so he put a little pressure on me," Zuback said. "… It really inspired me."
Chadd Cripe: 377-6398
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