Parker Sands shook off two final-round double bogeys to win the Trans-Miss Amateur.
Logan Whitton, USGA
Playing in his home state, Parker Sands went wire to wire at famed Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to win the 122nd Trans-Mississippi Amateur Championship, the fourth event in the Elite Amateur Golf Series.
Sands, a University of Florida junior, shot 64-70-68-72 (10-under 274) and finished two strokes ahead of Hugo Thyr and Ryder Cowan, the co-low amateur at last month’s U.S. Open. The leader by two strokes over Cowan through 54 holes, Sands held on to win despite two double bogeys in Friday’s final round.
On Tuesday, Sands birdied seven of the last 10 holes to shoot a 7-under 64, giving him a one-stroke lead over Harry Crocket and Mike Qiu. Sands was 1-over par through 14 holes on Wednesday but rallied with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes to shoot 70 and maintain his one-stroke lead. Seven players were within four strokes of the lead including Cowan, who was two back after rounds of 68-68.
On Thursday, Sands eagled the par-5 13th hole and followed it with four straight birdies after a slow start. Despite a bogey at the last, his 68 moved him to 11-under par, two ahead of Cowan, who shot a third successive 68.
In the final round, Sands birdied No. 2 while Cowan made double bogey, extending Sands’ lead to five strokes. Despite a double bogey on the sixth hole and a bogey on the 10th, Sands sealed the championship with birdies on Nos. 13 and 15 that made his double bogey on the last irrelevant.
RESULTS
Everett Munez
Kylee Choi defeated Grace Lee, 2 and 1, on Saturday to win the 126th Women's Western Amateur at River Forest Country Club in Elmhurst, Illinois.
Choi, a Pepperdine University sophomore and the No. 72-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, never trailed in the championship match and secured the biggest victory of her career by capturing the fourth event in the women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series.
After Choi and Lee halved the first seven holes, Choi won Nos. 8 and 9. She had a chance to extend the lead to 3 up with three holes remaining, but Lee chipped in from in front of the 15th green to save par and keep the deficit at two.
Lee, a Gonzaga University graduate, won the par-3 16th to cut the lead to one. Both players reached the 17th green in regulation and faced birdie putts from nearly identical positions. Lee’s attempt slid just right, setting the stage for Choi, who calmly rolled in the winning birdie.
Choi had been eliminated in the Women’s Western Amateur quarterfinals last year.
“I really wanted redemption here,” she said. “I haven't won a tournament in about six years, so I was not trying to regret anything.”
Despite falling just short of the title, Lee left River Forest on a positive note.
“It was a really tough match out there with really good competition,” Lee said. “I enjoyed every part of it, especially with my sister being on the bag. It was a lot of fun. Those are the moments that you take away and that I’ll really remember.”
Western Golf Association
