Host of the 2009 Arizona Mid-Amateur
TUCSON, AZ (September 12, 2009)--Matt Bergstrom of Tucson, who played at the University of Arizona in the mid 90s posted a three-day total of eight-under 208 win the Arizona Mid-Amateur Championship by two strokes over Bob Burton of Everett, Wash. Bergstrom, 36, started the day in a three-way tie for first and posted a four-under 68 for the victory.
Chris Kessler of Scottsdale, who started the day tied with Bergstrom carded a one-under 71 and John Davis of Snowflake, posted a four-under 68 to finish tied for third at five-under 211. Patrick Geare of Tucson, who also was tied for the lead going into the final round, shot a one-over 73 to finish alone in fifth at three-under 213.
“I’m really glad I won,” said Bergstrom. “I’m very familiar with the course and it worked out pretty well. “I don’t feel I played that well honestly, but it was good enough. I just had to remind myself to stay patient and that winning was more important than the score.”
Bergstrom, who had turned pro previously and is looking forward to a shot at making the PGA Tour will attend pre-qualifying Q School in Nebraska on Monday. Working in real estate these past years, he has been working on his game and the results paid Saturday.
He played the front nine at one-under 35 posting three birdies and two bogeys, but it was on the back nine that he made his move. Going bogey free his birdied the 540-yard 11th hole and then posted back-to-back birdies starting on the 16th hole. It was the 17th hole that he really sealed the deal when he sunk a 40-footer.
“I was totally relaxed on that hole,” he said. “I was thinking maybe I could actually make it and said Jesus be with me and it rolled up to the front lip and dropped in. It made a big difference playing the 18th with a two shot lead.”
Burton, 55, who splits his time between Arizona and Washington state was very happy with his performance, especially in light of the fact that he had been rehabilitating a complex tear medial meniscus and this is only his second event in a number of months.
“I am very pleased with the result because I was not able to play in the AZ Amateur because of my injury and had to miss some other tournaments in the Northwest as well in an effort to avoid surgery, so this was a very big surprise,” he said “I played the Canadian Senior Open two weeks ago and , my knee didn’t too well, it tweaked out on me after the first round. It was fine this week and that’s all that matters.”
Burton started the day one shot off the pace and made a good run for it and with a two-under 34 after the front nine was tied with Bergstrom for the lead thanks to back-to-back birdies on the eighth hole that he nearly made a hole-in-one on.
“After the birdies, I thought I might have a shot, but just didn’t make any birdies on the back side,” he added.
He did, however, make one birdie on the 400-yard par four 15th, which tied him for the lead again, but Bergstrom’s two in the final three holes was too much for Burton to overcome.
View results for Arizona Mid-Amateur
ABOUT THE Arizona Mid-Amateur
72-holes of individual stroke play at gross. A cut to the
low 60-players + ties will be made after 36 holes.
Participants must hold an active
membership
with an AGA Member Club.
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