Luke Colton, a high school sophomore from Frisco, Texas, shot a final-round 1-under-par 71 at Naples (Florida) National Golf Club to win the Terra Cotta Invitational on Sunday and record the biggest victory of his young career. Colton, 16, signed for an 11-under 205 to clip fast-closing Tyler Watts by one stroke.
The Terra Cotta typically attracts an outstanding group of juniors, plus some college and mid-amateur players. The 28th edition of the tournament was no exception.
Colton, who is No. 25 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, entered the final round tied with Welsh mid-amateur Jonathan Bale at 10-under. Colton played unevenly, recording four bogeys against five birdies to slip past Watts, who closed with a 4-under 68. Bale closed with a 73 and shared third with Kihei Akina at 9-under 207, two strokes back.
Watts, of Huntsville, Alabama and the No. 6-ranked junior in the country, made a run at the title. After opening with a bogey, Watts reeled off six birdies in the ensuing 14 holes to get to 11-under. A bogey at the par-4 16th effectively ended his chances. Watts will rue the triple-bogey 8 that he made on the 18th hole of the second round.
Hawaii’s Kihei Akina, a BYU verbal commit who is the No. 23-ranked junior, also took a run at the title. He had it to 10-under par after making six birdies through 11 holes, but bogeys on Nos. 14 and 17 derailed him.
For Bale, it was the second consecutive disappointment at the Terra Cotta. He entered the final round a year ago tied for the lead but could not close the deal, finishing second by a shot. This year, Bale was once again tied for the lead as the final round began, but he could not get anything going. After turning in 1-over 37, Bale made nine consecutive back-nine pars.
Nonetheless, tournament director Denny Glass saluted the mid-amateur.
“He should be proud of himself for hanging in there the way he does against these kids,” Glass said.
With his victory, Colton earns an exemption into the prestigious Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, Rhode Island, in June, and he also gets an exemption into a yet-to-be-determined Challenge Tour event in Europe this summer.
SCORING
Staff report