Teddy Jones Roars Back to Capture 24th Amateur
When asked at the start of the final round of the 24th Metropolitan Amateur Championship, Teddy Jones said “I was just thinking I had to go out and make some birdies and see what happened.” Well, what happened was he roared to the top of the leaderboard after a final round 4-under 67 to complete 54-holes at 1-under.
Jones started the day 6 shots back of the leader, John Anderson. A fast start to the day, Jones got to 5-under after Hole 10 and 2-under for the championship. Jones would bogey the 13th and 16th holes on the inward 9, but a birdie on 18 would post a 1-under total with the last 5 groups on the course.
Meanwhile, on the course the early leaders were in a tug-o-war with the top of the leaderboard. Anderson started the day 3-under, got it to 4-under at one point but then fell back again. Two-time defending champion Kyle Weldon made a charge, making birdies at 12, 13 and 14 to briefly take the lead at 3-under. That lead would soon evaporate with a bogey, double-bogey finish to finish Even par.
Round 1 leader Patrick Riordan was hanging around, he came to 18 1-shot back knowing a birdie would grab a share of the clubhouse lead. Riordan rolled in a long putt to get to that 1-under and wait for the final group. In that final group was Round 2 leader Anderson, he too had it back to 3-under after 14. A bogey at 16, he needed a par to finish. Anderson would pull his tee shot on 18 far left, but a great low shot to 18 would give him a chance to make par and take the title. However, his putt would lip out and a playoff would be needed to decide the 24th Amateur.
Jones, Anderson and Riordan went to the 10th tee to face the 4-hole aggregate playoff. The first since Darren Lundgren captured this championship in 2007 at Boone Valley GC. Anderson and Jones made their way through 10, 16, 17 and 18 at Even par; while Riordan would bogey 3 of the 4 holes to fall short.
A hole-by-hole playoff would now decide our champion. After sharing pars on the 10th hole, Jones would par the 18th again to complete the playoff and capture the championship. Jones names will be forever etched on the Jim Tom Blair Trophy with the names of Holtgrieve, Bliss , Estes, Weldon, Berkmeyer and many more.
See the full results from this weeks action on the Plaza Motors Scoreboard.
24th Metropolitan Amateur Championship Scoreboard
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