LI's Jason Caron discusses his top-4 finish at last weekend's PGA Champions Tour event

Jason Caron, the club professional at the Mill River Club in Oyster Bay, got plenty of airtime on the national broadcast of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last Sunday.

Here he was in the thick of the competition, at one point making four straight birdies and twice getting within one shot of the lead in the PGA Champions Tour event.

Caron, 51, shot a five-under-par 66 in the final round and tied for fourth place (272), climbing over several of the game’s well-known stars like Ernie Els and Steve Stricker. He finished five strokes behind winner Richard Bland (267) at Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

“It was a heck of a week,” Caron said. “I got to play with some great professionals which was a lot of fun. [Playing partner] Richard Green finished in second place which was pretty impressive. The way I played and being able to have my wife and kids and parents and brother out there, it was just special.”

His wife Liz, also a professional at Mill River, and his daughters Caroline and Julia were following his every step. His brother Nate was his caddie.

It was a scintillating environment, one Caron relishes. And while it was on a grand stage, he has tour experience to draw from.

Caron was a PGA Tour player in 2000 and 2003. In 65 events, his best finish was a T-15 at the 2003 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am. He also finished T-30 at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black and made 99 cuts in 168 Korn Ferry Tour starts. He has won the Long Island Open and the Met PGA Championship.

During Sunday’s round, he did his best not to think about what might happen. If he had won the Senior PGA, he would have gotten a year’s exemption on the Champions Tour.

“To be perfectly honest, I was just trying to hit one shot at a time and not trying to think anything that could be. Just hit the next shot,” Caron said. “I was putting the ball extremely well, I was hitting the ball pretty darn good, especially with my wedges. I made some early birdies that really calmed me down. I went on a nice stretch seven though ten where I made four birdies in a row. I didn’t let my mind wander.”

No matter the outcome, he knew what his immediate future would be.

“My mind was already made up that win, lose or draw I’m still coming back to Mill River,” Caron said. “You would have to reevaluate if there was a win and try to figure what the best play going forward would be, but I knew in my mind I was certainly going to be back at Mill River to make sure that everyone was done right.”

Club members were crowded around TVs at Mill River on Sunday and Caron gave them plenty of thrills.

“He always talks about his family,” club president Joe Vecchio said. “When I talk with him it’s about the lessons in life he learned from his parents. He’s very family oriented. A great person with a great personality. He brings a great presence to the club and he and his wife Liz a great fit for the club. We love them, we enjoy they are part of our club and they’ve chosen to make their home with us.”

As a bonus for finishing low club professional, sponsor KitchenAid will be giving the Carons a kitchen makeover at their home in Greenlawn. Caron said, “That will be up to Liz."