Fribbs shoots 62, wins Colo. Pub-Links
23 Jun 2013
see also: Derek Fribbs Rankings
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(Colorado Golf Association)
LONGMONT, Colo. (June 23, 2013) — Derek Fribbs could have shot a 59 with a birdie-birdie finish on Sunday, but he settled for an 8-under-par 62 -- the competitive course record from the back tees at Twin Peaks Golf Course in Longmont -- and a six-stroke victory in the 31st and final CGA Public Links Championship.
The 22-year-old, who plays out of Colorado National Golf Club, made his only bogey of the day on the final hole and finished the tournament with a remarkable 17-under-par 193 total.
Steven Kupcho of CommonGround Golf Course, the 2012 CGA Player of the Year, placed a distant second at 199, making the University of Northern Colorado golfer the CGA Public Links runner-up two straight years. Kupcho shot a 63 on Saturday, which stood as the tournament course record from the back tees for only 24 hours.
Former Colorado Mesa University golfer Brandon Bingaman was the only other player who finished under par for the tournament. The golfer from Black Canyon Golf Club closed with a 69 to end up at 205.
Kupcho, who entered the final round one back of Fribbs, tied him on two occasions early Sunday, and they were knotted after six holes. But Fribbs drained an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh to go ahead for good.
That started a stretch in which Fribbs carded seven birdies in 10 holes. That left the 2008 5A state high school champion at 9 under par through 16. With a round of 59 a possibility, his 50-foot birdie putt on No. 17 burned the edge of the cup, and he settled for a par. Then, needing to hole his 89-yard approach on 18 to break 60, Fribbs pulled his wedge shot into the rough and he failed to get up and down for par. In fact, he needed to sink a 7-footer for bogey.
The 62 was the lowest tournament round of Fribbs' life.
The CGA Public Links Championship finished on that note, as CGA officials decided earlier this month to discontinue the championship after this year. The association plans to replace the tournament with another championship in 2014, though the format of that event hasn't been settled upon.