Zac Blair and his caddy Stu Gold on the
way to winning the Utah State Amateur
(Stephen Holt, Salt Lake City Tribune)
LAYTON, UT (July 12, 2009)--Zac ‘Quick Draw’ Blair, is the fastest gun in the West. Wyatt Earp wouldn’t have had a chance against him.
Blair, the poster boy for Ready Golf, never took more than 10 seconds to measure up the shot and pull the trigger and he wasn’t shooting blanks as he fired his way past Alex Sutton to win the 111th Utah State Amateur Championship Sunday at Valley View Golf Course by a 5 and 3 margin and all before 2:30 in the early afternoon.
Part of Sutton’s defensive strategy was to try to slow Blair down, maybe force him into a four corners offense, but the tactics didn’t work. It’s hard to change breathing habits, and to Blair golfing and breathing are the same thing. You just do it without thinking.
Blair is perpetual motion and it’s obvious that at 120 pounds the calories can’t keep pace with him.
How does a 120-pounder hit it as far as King Kong? Quickly!! Blair does everything quickly.
“Why worry and fret! Find your distance and hit the shot,” he advises.
Wow! He could revolutionize college golf and that’s where he’s headed next---to BYU and to help the program move back to center stage.
Blair joined his dad as a Utah State Amateur champion, an honor that Jack Ridd and Craig Ridd have held in solo, but no more. The Ridd’s now share it with the Blair’s. It’s a rarity in golf and a survey is being conducted around the country to find out how many father-son combos have won their state ams. Stay tuned for results.
Sutton, who just finished his freshman year at Weber State, played very well and kept composed throughout the 36-hole match. He started with a birdie and held the lead until the fifth hole when Blair carded back-to-back birdies, won three straight holes, and took a 2-up lead. Sutton didn’t fold as he won the next two and brought it back to square.
Blair eagled the 11th hole and at the end of the 18-hole morning session Blair held a 2-up lead. Sutton never got closer than that the rest of the day.
In the afternoon session Blair birdied four of the first six holes and went four-up with a birdie on the 11th hole which made it only a matter of time---something Blair doesn’t waste.
He’s got a long way to go and a short time to get there. Look out world---here comes Zac Blair!!
BYU senior to be, Robbie Fillmore, got a good luck at his future teammate when they squared off in the quarterfinals. Fillmore shot 32 on the front and trailed his rookie-to-be-teammate who shot 31. Blair ended up carding nine birdies to Fillmore’s seven and won the match 2 and 1. Look out college golf---here comes BYU!!
Can Blair overcome a rough patch? How’s this? Playing against a very strong and athletic Todd Francis in the semifinals Blair lost the first three holes and was four down at the turn. Now that’s a mountain to climb! Blair caught Francis on the 17th hole and won it on the 18th, not even needing extra holes to climb out of the hole he was in.
The Utah State Am is a refiner’s fire. Zac Blair is the 111th Utah State Amateur champion and there is room for more notches on his holster. How many will he win?
In presenting the trophy UGA President Al Simkins praised both 18-year-old players for their superb play and pointed out that they were the youngest pair of finalists in the long and glorious history of the State Am.
He also praised the golf course and its management for its cooperation with the tournament, and expressed gratitude for the many volunteers who helped make the tournament a success.
View results for Utah State Amateur
ABOUT THE Utah State Amateur
Those who qualify, along with the exempt players,
will advance to a
36-hole qualifying. The low 64 qualifiers will advance
into match play.
There will be one round of match play on
Wednesday, two rounds of
match play on Thursday and Friday, and a 36-hole
championship
match on Saturday.
View Complete Tournament Information