--photo Colorado Golf Association
AURORA, Colo. (Aug. 14, 2011) -- David Schroeder hadn't made anything worse than a bogey for the four days of the 75th CGA Stroke Play Championship, but a "snowman" coming down the stretch Sunday melted away his title hopes.
Schroeder's quadruple-bogey 8 on the 15th hole at CommonGround Golf Course, combined with a hard-charging start by Colorado State University golfer Zahkai Brown allowed Brown to overcome a six-stroke deficit Sunday and win the championship.
Brown, from Indian Tree Golf Course, shot a 6-under-par 30 on the front nine and carded a 5-under 66 overall in the final round, which proved good enough for a three-stroke victory. The 21-year-old, who led after the first round, finished at 13-under-par 271.
Despite trailing by six going into Sunday, Brown caught Schroeder after just nine holes. But a birdie by Schroeder on No. 11 and a bogey by Brown on No. 12 had Schroeder leading by two going into the par-4 15th hole.
The former Fort Lewis College golfer saw his approach shot trickle down off the top tier of the two-tier green, leaving him a difficult sidehill putt up and over a large ridge, with the hole cut not far from the crest of the ridge. Schroeder's first putt didn't stay up on the top level, rolling down the hill to the right and off the green.
On Schroeder's next two shots -- one played with a wedge and another with a putter -- he failed to get his ball over the ridge and it rolled back toward him and off the green. His sixth stroke, which was further from the hole than his third, rolled 15 feet by the cup and he missed that comebacker.
After Brown two-putted for par from the lower level of the green, he suddenly went from two behind to two ahead. And three pars later, he won his second CGA championship, following his 2009 victory in the CGA Public Links. The CSU senior-to-be recently qualified for his second U.S. Amateur.
Schroeder, the golfer from the Broadmoor who led after the second and third rounds, shot a 4-over-par 75 Sunday and finished second at 10-under-par 274. Colorado School of Mines golfer Jim Knous, runner-up in the CGA Stroke Play last year, placed third this time at 275 following a final-round 67.
CommonGround Golf Course is owned and operated by the CGA and the CWGA. When Cherry Hills Country Club hosts the 2012 U.S. Amateur, CommonGround will serve as the second course for the stroke-play portion of the event.
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ABOUT THE Colorado Amateur
72 holes of stroke play. A 36-hole cut will be made
to
the low 40
players and ties. The CGA Amateur Championship is
a
walking
only event. Players may carry their bag, use a pull
cart,
or use a
caddie. Non-exempt players must pre-qualify.
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