Joo-Young Lee prevails in playoff at Ohio Amateur
Champion Joo-Young Lee (NIU)
ZANESVILLE, Ohio (July 9, 2015) – Joo-Young Lee started his day four shots back of the lead held by four players at 4-under par. His final round 68 was good enough to the force a playoff with Dublin's Jared Howard who was the only co-leader to shoot an even-par round.
On the first playoff hole, the par-3 18th hole, Lee hit his tee shot three feet above the hole and Howard hit his shot to 25 feet. Howard hit his first putt five feet by and missed the comebacker, leaving Lee with two putts for the win. He would only need one.
"I was really nervous and my hands were shaking so hard," Lee told the Associated Press. "I thought I left it short but it went in."
Lee, a junior at Northern Illinois was able to force the playoff by making an impressive five birdies in his final round along with only one bogey. Lee’s 68 forced Howard to make a 6-foot par putt on the last hole of regulation to tie for the lead. Howard converted the par putt but wishes he had converted more birdie putts to have avoided a playoff.
"I was making par putts, I just didn't make any birdies," Howard told AP. Howard had made 11 birdies through his first three rounds but only managed two on the final day.
Lee will join the likes of Arnold Palmer and Ben Curtis as golfers who have won the Ohio State Amateur.
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ABOUT THE Ohio Amateur
72-hole stroke play championship with a cut after 36
holes and an additional cut after 54. Must be a resident
of the state of Ohio or
attending a state university or college in Ohio.
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