Christopher Carlin pulls off stunner at Palm Beach Amateur
7/17/2016 | by Palm Beach County Golf Association
see also: View results for Palm Beach County Amateur, The Park West Palm
Christopher Carlin began the final day 1-over before firing a 7-under 65 in the final round to win by three shots
Trailing by four strokes after two rounds and by a trio of threesomes in the final round pairings, Carlin shot the low score of the weekend, a 7-under-par 65, on the Fazio course at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club at Old Trail.
At 210, he finished three strokes ahead of two players at 213; Ryan Crowley of West Palm Beach, the presumed winner when he walked off the 18th green, and Pete Williams of Juno Beach, who had three 71's to capture senior honors (50-older) for the second year in a row.
“I didn’t realize I might could have a chance to win until I got to the scoring table after the round,” Carlin said. “I had made seven birdies (at Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 9, then at the 11th,12th and 13th) but I thought I might need at least one more.” He did not have a bogey but made 10-12 foot par-saving putts at the 14th and 17th holes.
A recent graduate of Palm Beach State College, Crowley was visibly shaken and nearly speechless when he turned in his scorecard and saw Carlin’s name already ahead of his on the leaderboard. Crowley had beaten Patrick Dewey of North Palm Beach, who works in the bag room at Old Trail, by 72-74 after they had been tied at the start of play Sunday.
“I had no idea anyone had gone that low,” Crowley said.“Not until I got to the scoring table.” He took the lead over Dewey with birdies at the 4th, 6th and 9th holes and led Dewey by as many as three shots with five holes to go.
Close observers of South Florida golf might recall Carlin, 26, the assistant men’s and women’s golf coach at Barry University in Miami, from which he graduated in 2011. He teamed with Kenny Leech of Boca Raton to win the South Florida PGA Pro-Scratch in 2015 at the CC of Florida; with Nicolas Cavero to capture the Florida State GA Four-Ball on July 10 at Orchid Island in Vero Beach; and played in 10 Minor League Golf Tour events in 2011-12, a tie for fourth being his best finish. This was his first PBCGA start.
About the Palm Beach County Amateur
54-hole Individual Stroke Play Championship with a single Open division; the field will be cut to the low 60 + ties after the second round.
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