Fresno City Championship: Angel eagles 18 to win
Fresno State photo
FRESNO, Calif. (May 26, 2008)--It took a while, but when Todd Angel finally took home his first-ever tournament victory, he did in just about the most dramatic fashion possible.
The 21-year-old Fresno State sophomore sunk an eight-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole to pull off a one-stroke victory over incoming Fresno State freshman Bryan Hogan to take home the title at the 81st annual event.
Things looked gloomy after Angel double-bogeyed the ninth hole, but he went birdie, par, birdie, par to find himself trailing Hogan by a stroke heading into 18.
His tee shot found the rough, but he stuck his 9-iron approach eight feet from the cup and rolled home the winning putt.
He finished 70-68-73--214, 5-under-par.
Hogan parred the hole and finished in second at 215.
"I was just trying to keep calm and make a good finish on the back," Angel told the Fresno Bee. "I just kept telling myself: Don't give up, have a good finish."
"Today was a perfect example of how much I have changed," he continued. "The old Todd would have been so upset after [the double-bogey at] No. 9. But I told myself to hang in there and grind out some pars and give myself opportunities for birdies."
Angel had previously been the two-time runner-up at the Fresno City Junior and again at the san Joaquin Valley Junior.
Matt Fagundes and Jamie Looper shared third-place honors at 213, while Chick Valley and Grant Doverspike were the only other players in the red at 1-under 215.
ABOUT THE Fresno City Amateur
NCGA Points Event. 54-hole stroke play event open
to
all amateurs with a 5.4 index or better. The low 40
and
ties advance to the third round.
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