Texas (TGA) Public Links Championship
TGA Public Links champion
SAN ANTONIO, TX (June 25, 2006)--Nick Williams turned a close match in his favor
during the middle of the round with back to back birdies on holes #8 and #9,
then got some help from his opponent Keedae Lee, to post a 3 & 1 victory in the championship match of the TGA State Public Links at Pecan Valley Golf Club. With the match all square through seven holes, Williams made a tricky 12 foot downhill putt on #8. Lee then missed his eight footer to give Williams a one-up lead. Williams sank a 20 foot birdie putt at #9 to take a two up lead at the turn, and that lead was never really threatened on the back nine.
“I didn’t want any match to get to #18,” said Williams, a 19 year old sophomore-to-be at Texas Tech. “I told my dad (who was his caddy) that if I could get four up on the back I could play smart and not have to worry.” He did just that as he won his matches 3 & 2, 3 & 1, 4 & 3, then 3 & 1 in the finals.
Lee, who had been wielding a hot putter through his first three matches, suddenly lost his touch on the greens. He had back to back three putt bogies on #11 and #12, giving Williams that four up lead through 12 holes. Things got a little interesting when Williams went for the green in two on the par five 13th and hit his approach shot out of bounds. He conceded the hole, then missed a short par putt on #14 and was only two up. After halving holes #15 and #16, Williams stuck his approach on #17 to within three feet to close out the match.
Lee is a native of South Korea who moved to Texas five years ago at the urging of one of his golf instructors. He settled in Dallas area and played for Paris Junior College. He plans to attend Southwest Oklahoma State in the fall. He had battled #2 seed Corey Roberson for 19 holes in the semi-finals Sunday morning, and said he was a little bit tired.
Six rounds of golf in four days can lead to some fatigue, but Williams still had plenty of energy. He said the short putt he missed on #14 was the only key putt he had missed all week. “I’m not known for my short game, but that was the key this week,” Williams said. “I made a lot of important putts when I had to.”
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Texas Amateur Rankings points event.