Torey Edwards (SCGA photo)

Posting rounds of 68 and 71 Monday, Edwards took a one-shot lead into the final round. Tallying five bogeys over 36-holes, Edwards told AmateurGolf.com that he simply did not have his best stuff Tuesday as he matched his bogey mark over the final 18.

“It was probably a little bit of nerves and just anxious energy,” Edwards said. “I knew kind of early on that it was going to be a little bit of a dog fight. The course was playing tough today. I knew I just had to hang in there today.”

Staying in the fight, Edwards managed to post an even-par 36 as he made the turn as part of the final group. Aiding him in negating three front-side bogeys was a birdie on No. 4 and a clutch eagle on the par-5 8th which was a huge momentum saver.

“It gave me a really big boost and I felt like I got everything back on track but I missed short putts for par on nine and ten which brought me right back in the thick of things,” said Edwards.

As he meandered his way through the front side, a few groups ahead of him 2017 SCGA mid-am champion Dan Sullivan was on a tear.

Carding four birdies to just one bogey on the front, Sullivan cut his six-shot deficit in half before continuing his charge with three more birdies on the finishing nine for a 6-under 66 just one shot behind Edwards at 4-under for the tournament.

As Sullivan waited in the clubhouse, Edwards found his putting stroke to drill home clutch par saves.

“Things weren’t going well today,” Edwards said. “I just had to have a little self-talk and remind myself that I was still in it even though I wasn’t playing my best. I couldn’t get frustrated by things not going as well as I had hoped for.”

Citing a 10-foot par save on No. 13, Edwards gained a sliver of momentum and immediately birdied the par-5 14th and par-4 17th to bring his round back to even-par and a one-shot victory.

The win comes just one year after a slipped disk forced Edwards to withdraw from the event which was held at his home course, Virginia Country Club. It also marks his first SCGA win since 2017 when he won the Tournament of Champions and first overall win since he claimed the 2019 Long Beach City Amateur.

“It’s nice to bounce back and be able to get it the next year at a difficult golf course… I’m just excited to outlast everyone and get it done.”