LEHI -- Jason Zuback and Bobby Wilson are only expected to draw the oohs and aahs from the gallery when they launch the ball during driving range exhibitions.
That's why the long ballers enjoyed the respect they got Tuesday afternoon ... for their (short game).
A duo with a combined 16 long drive championships between them now have a pair of Sorensen Champions Challenges titles as well after Zuback and Wilson posted a one-shot victory at Thanksgiving Point.
Brett Quigley and Ian Baker Finch, who described Tuesday's winds as "British Open" weather -- it figures, he won that in 1991 -- came in at 60, along with the teams of Rocco Mediate and Bradley Shaw and Scott and Andy Miller.
The winner's purse of $50,000 was half of last year's, and host Johnny Miller said afterwards that is a "80 percent" possibility of the event coming back next year to its usual June time frame.
Marvel all you want about Wilson's 540-yard drives, it was his and Zuback's iron game that registered two eagles, and the putting came through as they posted a 12-under par 59.
"Bobby has game,'' Zuback said. "He would have been 10-under on his own card.''
"Johnny gave us a back-handed compliment when he said "I knew you guys could play, but I didn't think you were that good,'' said Wilson, who won here with Zuback in 2005. "There is the stigma that long drivers can hit but they can't play ... this gives us a little more credibility. You have to have a short game to play here. We're not just whacking it.''
Zuback and Wilson's first eagle was a short putt after a long drive on four, then Wilson chipped in from the weed hazard on seven as the duo posted a front nine of 28. Baker-Finch and Quigley missed a chance to tie on 16, then Wilson and Zuback birdied 17 for a two-shot lead.
The really, really feel good story belonged to venerable Billy Casper.
Not only did the 78-year old Masters and U.S. Open champion record his 24th hole in one on the sixth hole, but preceded that with a 25-footer for eagle and followed that with a natural birdie on the seventh.
``That was luck more than talent,'' said Casper, who used a ``rescue club'' on the 168-yard shot.
Making his first appearance in Utah, Mediate played to the gallery from the get-go -- encouraging the announcer to speed up his introduction as he was was practically in back swing by the time ``epic battle with Tiger Woods'' came out.
Miller got a few friendly jabs for winning red instead of Cougar blue.
Also in the field Tuesday: Hale Irwin, 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir and Craig Stadler.
Boyd Summerhays was teamed with Utah Jazz forward Kyle Korver and their 64 matched LPGA media phenom Anna Rawson and Dave Stockton, Jr. Clay Ogen and Jim Sorenson posted a 62.



