Chris Nido wins the Terra Cotta Invitational in a Playoff
Terra Cotta Invitational winner Chris Nido
(Photo Courtesy of Denny Glass)
NAPLES, FL (May 7, 2017) - It took a playoff but Florida commit Chris Nido has won the 22nd playing of the Terra Cotta Invitational. One shot back at the start of the final round at Naples National Golf Club, Nido shot his third consecutive even-par 72 to finish the tournament level par before outlasting Florida State commit John Pak on the first extra hole.
"This is probably the biggest tournament that I have won," said Chris Nido who was one shot back after each of the first two rounds. "I finished second at the Florida Boys last year and won the AJGA Daniel Berger event but this was by far biggest."
Replaying the par-5 18th hole in the playoff, both players found the fairway off the tee and then laid up with their second shots into the 555 yard hole. Playing first from about 130 yards out Park created an opening for Nido by putting his approach shot into the bunker.
With a window of opportunity Nido knocked his shot from 120 yards out to 15-feet and after dodging a 10-foot par putt from Pak he was able to win the title with a four-foot par putt.
"I was right there and I had always gotten off to bad starts this week but I started with a birdie and I made two bogeys back-to-back but the key was staying patient and making some good birdies on the back nine," said Nido.
Those back nine birdies came on the 13th and 14th holes and they followed birdies on Nos. 7 and 8. The birdie on the 13th proved to be one of the biggest moments of the round.
Playing partner and leader at the time Reese Ramsey found found trouble on the 13th and ultimately three-putted his way to a double-bogeyed while Nido rolled in a sliding eight-foot birdie putt to trigger a three-stroke swing.
Ramsey, a Texas A&M commit, had moved into the lead with four birdies in a five hole stretch from Nos. 8-12 to reach 3-under. However, the double-bogey on No. 13 dropped him to 1-under and when he bogeyed twice more on the 15th and 16th holes he fell out of the top spot completely.
With the greens drastically drying out from a softening late week rain Naples National Golf Club played as tough as it had all week on Sunday and 36-hole co-leaders Travis Trace and Walker Lee were part of the casualties as they feel into a tie for third with Graysen Huff and Reese Ramsey at 1-over. Jay Card and Chris Petefish were both one shot further back in a tie for seventh at 2-over.
ABOUT THE
54-hole stroke play tournament with no cut.
Caddies are required. A Sponsor/Contestant
tournament is held before the event.
The Terra Cotta is an invitational. However,
they do
encourage applications and players can submit
their
golf resume for consideration.
View Complete Tournament Information