- Rainier Ehrhardt photo
AIKEN, South Carolina (July 25, 2010) -- When a sudden-death playoff at the Palmetto Amateur turned into match play on Saturday, Todd White was feeling pretty comfortable.
White, who became only the third man to win three career South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championships last month, outlasted University of South Carolina golfer Paul Woodbury in five extra holes to capture the title at Palmetto Golf Club. The playoff ended on the 17th hole.
"When it was coming down to those last couple of holes, it was down to just me and Paul and it became match play, so I was able to play off what he did," said White, a member of the Hall of Fame at Furman University.
White, who shot even-par 70, took advantage of mistakes by Woodbury, who had three great chances to claim his first Palmetto Amateur title in four tries.
The 22-year-old from Lake City, S.C., who reached the playoff after shooting 67, had putts to win from a makeable distance on each of the first three holes, but failed to capitalize.
"It's obviously disappointing," Woodbury said. "I was hitting some good shots and was in control on those first three (playoff) holes. The putts just weren't falling."
Woodbury was finally done in by an errant tee shot on the fifth playoff hole. Despite a brilliant play from the bunker to give himself a chance to save par, he would take a bogey. White's par gave him the victory.
"To win is very satisfying, but to win on this golf course, as a lifelong South Carolinian, is even more special," said White, a 42-year-old native of Moore, S.C.
The playoff began on No. 16 as a three-man contest with Oklahoma golfer Riley Pumphrey joining White and Woodbury. It was whittled down to just two after Pumphrey's tee shot on the second extra hole -- No. 17 on the course -- nestled up against a tree root, leading to a bogey.
That hole ended a stellar day for the 21-year-old, whose 65 was the low round of the day.
White, Woodbury and Pumphrey finished 72 holes at even-par 280.
The playoff was the first at the Palmetto Amateur since Scott Summers need five additional holes to beat Larry Penley, the golf coach at Clemson, in 1994.
Austin Reeves, who held a one-shot lead before a pair of bogeys on 15 and 16, had a chance to join playoff, but his birdie putt on 18 lipped out.
Reeves finished tied for fourth at 281 with Augusta's John Engler (70) and James White (70), of Acworth, Ga.
Marc-Etienee Bussieres, who came into the final round tied for the lead with Carter Collins, struggled, shooting 75 to tie for eighth. He finished at 283. Collins shot 74, finishing in seventh at 282 .
Augusta State golfer Mitch Krywulycz shot 70 and finished at 283, good for an eighth place tie. Fellow Jaguar Carter Newman also shot 70 and ended up tied for 17th at 287.
ABOUT THE Palmetto Amateur
72-hole stroke play event held on a classic
Alister
MacKenzie design. The field of 84 is
selected
from
applicants based on handicap, participation
in
amateur golf events and competitive
record, in
previous Palmetto Amateurs and other
amateur
tournaments.
View Complete Tournament Information