Global Golf Post - June 13, 2011

The 58th playing of the Sunnehanna Amateur
Tournament for Champions long will be remem-
bered as one of the most exciting in the event’s
rich history. Mid-amateur Nathan Smith, who
began the day seven shots off the pace, shot a
final-round, 4-under-par 66 and went on to win
a three-man playoff against Lee Bedford and Zac
After nine holes on the final day, it looked
to be a three-man race between third-round
leader Will Collins, Blair and Bedford. Collins,
a University of Virginia player, had an over-
night lead of two shots, but it evaporated after
he played the front nine in 3-over par. Blair, a
junior at BYU, got it to 9 under after 17 holes,
but he bogeyed the 18th when his 10-foot putt
for par lipped out. Bedford came to the final
hole needing a birdie to win, but a loose second
shot missed the green and left him 20 feet from
the hole. His birdie chip failed, setting up the
three-man playoff.

The University of Missouri’s Jace Long set Nathan Smith

the early pace on the 6,868-yard Tillinghast layout with an opening-round, 6-under-par 64. Bedford, a senior at Wake Forest, caught him at the halfway point, and the two were tied at 8-under 132. Collins shot 66 in the third round and took a two-shot lead on Bedford into Sunday’s final.

Smith, playing less than two hours from his Pittsburgh-area home, was a part of the winning Walker Cup squad at Merion GC in 2009, and he is under serious consideration for a return berth on the team that travels to Scotland this fall. His win here most certainly will be noted by the USGA International Team selection committee.

SUNNEHANNA NOTES

Walker Cup captain Jim Holtgrieve pulled double duty last week, spending time at the Palmer Cup in Connecticut before moving to Johnstown to scout team candidates. He had to be pleased with what he saw from Andrew Yun and Bank Vongvanij at the Palmer Cup, and thrilled by what he saw from Nathan Smith in Johnstown. Next up on his summer itinerary is the Northeast Amateur in Rhode Island.

Mike and Nate McCoy became the second father-and-son combination to play in the Sunnehanna. Mike, 48, played for the ninth time while Nate, a 20-year-old Iowa State student, made his first appearance in Johnstown. After finding themselves tied after 54 holes, they were paired together for the final round. Dad bested son, 68 to 76, and finished T11.