Tom Sipula, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., scored a 2-and-1 victory over John O'Leary, of Chantilly, Va., in the finals of the 44th annual TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Match Play Championship, on Feb. 11, 2007.

Sipula scored five birdies, but was still 1-over par for the distance, in the tightly contested match on the Dye Course at The PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie. Neither player led by more than one hole, until Sipula won the 12th hole, lost the 13th hole and won the 14th hole.

The two PGA Professionals halved the next three holes: bogey-5s at the 15th hole; par-3s at the 16th hole; and conceded birdie-4s at the 17th hole. "He was up there about a foot away on No. 17," said O'Leary, PGA director of instruction at Pleasant Valley Country Club, in Chantilly. "It wouldn't have mattered if I made my three-footer or not. It would have still been a halve, and I still would have lost the match."

O'Leary had only one other birdie and was 3-over par for the 17 holes contested. "He played better than I did. He deserved to win."

It was Sipula's second career victory in the PGA Winter Championships, following his PGA Stroke Play Championship, which was clinched in 2003. This year's Championship was also his fifth Match Play title, joining Illinois PGA Section crowns garnered in both 1997 and 1999; and New Jersey PGA Section titles in 2002-03.

"Match play is a great format," said Sipula, PGA head professional at Edgewood Country Club in River Vale, N.J. "I like to play aggressively and put pressure on my opponent. This a nice addition to my resume, to win a National Championship."

Sipula won the 1st hole of the match with a birdie. O'Leary gained the next two with a bogey and birdie, respectively. Sipula then won the 5th hole with a birdie, but lost the 6th hole with a bogey. O'Leary lost the 8th and 9th holes with bogies, but won the

10th hole with a par. He then lost the 11th hole with a bogey, to go down by one hole, entering the final stretch.

"I didn't play my best, but seven matches in seven days is a lot of golf," Sipula added. "I was over par in the first round and today, but I still kept winning, and I never had to play the 18th hole all week."