Petersen Gets First Victory

It didn’t earn him his PGA Tour card or enough money to wangle an invite into this week’s Buy.com Tour Championship, but Scott Petersen’s first Buy.com Tour victory Sunday in the Inland Empire Open at Empire Lakes Golf Course does have its perks.

There’s the $72,000 first-place check, a free pass to the second stage of Q school and the peace of mind of a full exemption on the Buy.com Tour for 2001.

Petersen turned in a solid three-under 69, giving him a four-round total of 20-under 268 and a four-shot win over six players.

Fran Quinn, who began the day tied with Petersen at 17-under, faded with four bogeys and a double bogey in a six-hole stretch. He finished at 14-under after a 75.

With the victory, Petersen vaulted from 155th to 60th on the money list, five spaces and a little more than $10,000 short of a spot in the Buy.com Tour Championship.