SCU's Matt McCarty Hoists the BBH Amateur Trophy
SEASIDE, California (July 15, 2018) — In 1954, a United States Army general named Robert McClure designed Bayonet golf course in hopes that it would fit his own golf game. Having been a left-handed player himself, it might not be a coincidence that another lefty, Santa Clara University's Matt McCarty had so much success at Bayonet this weekend.
McCarty, who entered the day three back of the overnight leader Charles Osborne, was able to put together a flawless 3-under-par final round for a 54-hole total of 4-under 212.
Pepperdine golfer Austin Murphy tore up the course this afternoon, carding seven birdies in his final round, including an incredibly clutch up-and-down birdie make on No. 18 to shoot 68. Having began the day at even par, a 4-under final round placed Murphy in a stalemate with Matt McCarty.
“I really started getting it going on the back nine,” said Murphy following his round. “I was hitting it pretty close to the hole, hitting fairways and knocking down 10-footers or so and I knew I was in it for the win.”
After signing their scorecards, Murphy and McCarty headed back to the first tee for a playoff.
“I thought it might take a birdie to get through number one,” said McCarthy.
Missing their makeable birdie chances, however, both players would begin the playoff with routine pars on No. 1. Murphy would find some trouble off the next tee, missing his drive right of the very tight second fairway and leaving a tough second shot for the Morgan Hill native. With branches obstructing his path to the hole, Murphy did his best to advance his ball and found the bunker just short of the green, and McCarty hit his approach a few feet off the left fringe. Murphy played his bunker shot just about as well as it could be played but was not able to convert the par, and when SCU’s McCarty got up and down for a par, the winner was decided.
“Today was great. Bogey free and 3 under again which was really nice. My chipping actually won me this tournament,” explained McCarty. “If you miss the greens out here you need to get up and down and it’s not easy to hit most of them so chipping and putting is very important out here.”
The Arizona native will look to continue to play at a high level when he returns to Scottsdale for U.S. Amateur Qualifying in the coming days, in hopes of taking one more trip to the Monterey Peninsula before the end of the summer to compete in the event hosted by Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.
ABOUT THE Bayonet Black Horse Amateur
54-hole tournament with a 36-hole cut hosted
at the
always-tough Bayonet course at Bayonet Black
Horse
in
Seaside, California. In a relatively short amount
of
time since the tournament was founded in
2015, it
has turned into one of the top amateur events
on
the
west coast, drawing top collegiate and mid-am
talent
to the Monterey Peninsula. Open to amateur
golfers
with an official and verified handicap index not
exceeding 7.4.
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