Jake Holbrook, a rising senior at Oklahoma, was three shots out of the lead with two holes to play.
He needed a miracle to have a chance to win the 119th Trans-Mississippi Amateur on Friday at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas. And did he get one.
Holbrook found his way into a playoff against Neal Shipley from Ohio State, and in that buried a 40-footer for birdie to win the championship. Holbrook and Shipley matched scores every round of the Trans-Mississippi Amateur, (66-65-69-68) with the lone difference being Holbrook’s clutch putt on the 73rd hole to win.
Holbrook birdied the par-3 17th hole. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s Neal Shipley made triple bogey and fell one behind Holbrook. However, Shipley recovered and birdied the 72nd hole to tie Holbrook and send the match to extra holes.
Both players found the fairway, but Shipley put his approach to 30 feet while Holbrook sat 40 feet away from the cup. However, Holbrook stole all momentum when he jarred the putt. Shipley missed, and the title was clinched.
Nick Dunlap, who won the previous two Elite Amateur Series events, finished T-8.
The Trans-Mississippi Amateur is the fourth event of seven in the Elite Amateur Series. Up next is the 117th Southern Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, from July 17-22.
Story originally appeared on GolfWeek