Albany’s Broadaway falls just short of first title, matches career-high finish with tie for 3rd

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — When Albany’s Josh Broadaway walked off the course Sunday with his fourth Top 15 finish in the last five weeks — this time with a tie for third place at the Nationwide Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship — he was naturally disappointed that he once again came so close, only to fall short of his first career win.

But then the text messages started rolling in — and suddenly Broadway felt a whole lot better.

“I got a million texts from (fellow golfers) and good friends, like (former Masters champ) Zach Johnson, who said, ‘Hang in there, Josh. Stay patient. It will happen,’ ” Broadaway said. “I was disappointed, sure, but knowing that there’s a lot of guys out there on tour who see how well I’ve been doing and how close I’m coming, it made me feel a lot better.”

Broadaway, who started the final round one shot back of co-leader Steve Friesen, shot a 3-under on Sunday, but it wasn’t enough to catch Friesen, who ran away with the title after scorching the course at 8-under.

The tie for third, meanwhile, matched Broadaway’s best career finish in five years on the Nationwide Tour and earned him $28,188. The finish moved him from 26th on the money list to 12th. The Top 25 players at the end of the year automatically get their PGA Tour card, and Broadaway says if that happens, he can live with graduating from the Nationwide Tour without a win.

“Five weeks ago, I think I was 156th on the money list — and now I’m 12th. It’s been a good little run, for sure,” he said. “And while it’d be great to win one, if I can get my tour card without winning one, I can deal with that.

“I was playing for the win (Sunday) and it just didn’t happen, but I’m pleased with my performance because I stuck to my gameplan. There’s not much you can do to catch a guy who shoots 8-under on the final day. Steve played great.”

Broadaway was actually one shot off the lead going into No. 15, but said he “missed a makeable putt on 15, missed (my approach) shot on No. 16 and then ran it by the hole (during a putt) on No. 17. That basically did me in.”

With only 11 tournaments left on the Nationwide Tour schedule in 2011, Broadaway is in great shape. He says he thinks he needs to earn another $60,000 more during the next few months to secure his spot in the Top 25, but won’t get any closer this week when he skips the event in Kansas because his son is starting kindergarten.

“It’s been a great few weeks, but I need to take a break, go home, spend some time with my family and then come back out and get back after it,” he said.