By Jon Levy - Staff Writer

March 12, 2010
-- Phoenix, Ariz.


Taking a sudden-death victory over a pair of seasoned Gateway Tour winners in Jesse Mueller (70/67/68-205, 11-under) and Jake Younan-Wise (67/67/71-205, 11-under), former PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour player, Jason Allred (67/69/69-205, 11-under), took home The Gateway Tour’s biggest paycheck of the year to date -- $20,000 -- in Desert Winter Series No. 8 this week at Papago G.C.

His playoff win, which came with a solid birdie on the 1st extra hole, Papago’s 464-yard par 4, 18th, will perhaps propel him towards regaining the form that yielded him four years of status between the PGA and Nationwide Tours and over $500,000 in earnings (click here for his pgatour.com profile). But, regardless, Allred’s win and sheer participation in the tournament shows just how deep the fields of The Gateway Tour are.

“(Allred) is just one of a number of either former or current TOUR players who play our events to stay sharp and give them the edge that got ultimately got them to the elite levels of competitive golf,” said VP of Tour Operations, Ryan Pray. “His participation this week, and the participation of many of our current or former TOUR players, shows just how high the level of talent is on The Gateway Tour. And it also reassures us that players who’ve reached the PGA and Nationwide Tour levels feel The Gateway Tour is a viable tool to help them stay there or get back there.

“It’s great because guys like (Allred) give us a nice mix of player on The Gateway Tour and it just goes to show if you can win on our Tour, that’s really saying something,” said Pray.

Following the playoff trio at 9-under was Nathan Tyler (65/69-73-207), who, as a winner already during the Desert Winter Series (Desert Winter Seriers No. 5), stood tied with Younan-Wise for the 36-hole lead at 10-under until his final round 73 -- comprised of a bogey-par-bogey finish -- dashed any hopes of a second win. Andy Walker (73/66/69-208), with his bogey-free final round highlighted by an eagle on the par 5, 9th, on the other hand, was able to move up the leaderboard and grab a spot in the top-5 along with Tommy Medina (69/70/69-208) and Richard Gaona (72/65/71-208). Each player earned $4,200 for their T5 efforts, while Tyler earned $6,000 for his 4th place finish and Mueller and Younan-Wise earned $9,920.00 for their co-runner-up efforts.

Through eight events of the 2010 Gateway Tour Desert Winter Series, Tyler now leads the money list with $39,754.38 in earnings, while Brett Swedberg ($29,069.53), Matt Marshall ($27,007.50), Younan-Wise ($24,849.38) and Mueller ($24,550.00) round out the top-5.

The Desert Winter Series will resume again next week, March 17th-19th, at Trilogy at Power Ranch, as just two events remain before the 2010 Winter Series Championship. Stay tuned for results and click here for full field results from Desert Winter Series No. 8 at Papago…