Singapore’s James Leow shot 15-under 269 to win the 55th Pacific Coast Amateur by two strokes on Friday at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon.
The recent Arizona State graduate came into the final round tied for the lead at 12-under with the University of Tennessee’s Caleb Surratt. The two went back and forth early in the final day as Leow parred his first nine holes while Surratt made three birdies against three bogeys.
Both players made three birdies in the first five holes of the back nine and headed to the 15th tee tied. Surratt’s bogey on No. 15 put him one stroke behind, but Leow bogeyed No. 16 to drop back into a tie.
The difference came on the final two holes. On the par-4 17th, Surratt three-putted for bogey against Leow’s par. A hole later, Leow stuck his approach to four feet and made birdie to secure a two-stroke victory.
Sam Choi of the University of New Mexico finished in a tie for second place after rallying with a 3-under 33 on his final nine. It wouldn’t be enough to catch Leow.
“I didn’t check my phone, but I had a rough idea of where I was at and where the other two (Surratt and Choi) were at,” Leow said. “Down the stretch it was really tight with Sam making a comeback and Caleb chasing after me, too, it was a great match and I had so much fun out there.”
Leow came into the week at No. 115 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He won the Thunderbird Collegiate earlier this year and captured the Southwestern Amateur in 2021.
“I’m really excited to get the win,” Leow said. “It’s been a while I’ve been competing and my golf has been a little up-and-down, but it’s always good to play some good golf down the stretch of the week.”
It continues to be a phenomenal year for Surratt, a player just entering college. He has registered six consecutive top-10 finishes this summer, all of them coming in significant events.
RESULTS
Thailand’s Taglao Jeeravivitaporn defeated Annabelle Pancake, 2 and 1, to win the 122nd Women’s Western Amateur on Saturday at Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield, Illinois.
With Iowa State teammate Warda Amira Rawof on the bag, Jeeravivitaporn converted a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th to win the tournament. She had gone 3 down through six holes but capitalized on two Pancake bogeys around the turn before making a 35-foot birdie putt on No. 12 to tie the match.
Pancake, a rising senior at Clemson, three-putted for bogey on No. 15 to fall behind for the first time in the match. Heading to the 17th down a hole, Pancake couldn’t match Jeeravivitaporn’s birdie.
Jeeravivitaporn is the third Thai player to win the Women’s Western Amateur, following Ariya Jutanugarn (2012) and Chakansim Khamborn (2015). She came into the week ranked No. 172 in the WAGR.
University of Michigan rising junior Monet Chun overcame a second-round 78 to shoot 5-under 287, winning the 108thCanadian Women’s Amateur on Friday at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ontario.
Chun, of Richmond Hill, Ontario, shot a 7-under 66 in the third round to take a six-stroke lead. That advantage was trimmed by fellow Richmond Hill resident Alissa Xu, who shot a final round 69 to finish the tournament at 3-under 289. It wasn’t enough to scare Chun, who bounced back from two early bogeys to shoot an even-par 73.
Chun came into the week ranked No. 207 in the world. She won the Big Ten Conference Championship earlier this year.
Since the pandemic started, this was the first Canadian Women’s Am to include non-Canadians. There were 12 of those players in the field.
Todd Hendley of Columbus, North Carolina, shot 5-under 208 to win the Society of Seniors Jack Hesler by six strokes on Thursday at Belterra Golf Resort in Florence, Indiana.
Hendley opened with a pair of 3-under 68s to take a large lead and cruised in the third round with 17 pars and one bogey. Steve Maddalena of Jackson, Michigan, shot 1-over 214 to finish in solo second while John Barry and Larry Nunez tied for third at 4-over 217.
Hendley won the North and South Senior Men’s Championship last year and the Carolinas Senior Amateur in 2020. His best finish of this year is a solo eighth place finish at the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame.
Georgia Tech’s Andy Mao shot 14-under 196 to win the 93rd Southeastern Amateur on Saturday at the Country Club of Columbus (Georgia).
Mao, of Johns Creek, Georgia, opened with a 7-under 63 and then took a two-stroke lead after a second-round 65. He would be challenged early on the final day, but eventually created separation to beat Tyler Lipscomb of Alabama by two strokes. Mao bogeyed two of his final four holes to make the margin closer than it seemed.
It’s a big win for Mao, who is ranked well outside the top 1,000 in the WAGR. His best recent finish was a runner-up at the Rice Planters.
Mid-am Evan Beck of Virginia Beach shot 13-under 267 to win the Eastern Amateur by four strokes on Sunday at Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club in Portsmouth, Virginia.
Beck opened with a 1-over 71 to fall well behind the pace, but a pair of 64s launched him into the lead. His closest competitor, Bryce Corbett of Radford, struggled to a 3-over 73 while Beck’s closing 2-under 68 gave him a comfortable victory. He successfully defended his title on the heels of a one-stroke victory last year at the Eastern.
Beck is considered a favorite for the U.S. Mid-Am. He recently won the George C. Thomas Invitational and finished runner-up in the State Open of Virginia. Beck was No. 68 in the WAGR as of last week.
Staff and Wire Reports