Watson's wild ride to the Ohio Amateur title

July 31, 2021 | by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com

Courtesy Ohio Golf Association

After relinquishing lead on final hole, Watson takes title in playoff over Dhaivat Pandya

Max Watson, at redshirt freshman at Eastern Michigan University captured the 115th Ohio Amateur Championship Avalon Golf and Country Club in Warren, Ohio, defeating Dhaivat Pandya in a playoff to claim victory.

Watson and Pandya finished the 72-hole tournament at 3-under-par 285 (68-73-72-72) and entered a playoff some thought wasn't possible.

Pandya, a rising senior at the University of Maryland, shot a final-round 68 to climb into contention after rounds of 70, 72, and 75. He made five birdies on the back nine Friday on his way to a 4-under 32.

Watson relinquished his solo lead after making a bogey on 15 and momentarily slipped back into a tie with Pandya and 17-time USGA participant Bill Williamson. However, birdies on 16 and 17 gave Watson a two-stroke lead heading to 18, but a double bogey on the 18th dropped him back into a tie with Pandya, constituting a playoff, which Watson won on the first extra hole.

A great week with 144 of Ohio’s best amateur golfers! Thank you everyone for a great week 🏌🏻‍♂️

📸: Ron Alvey pic.twitter.com/N81pnsyJUd
— Ohio Golf Association (@ohiogolf) July 31, 2021

Previous winners of the Ohio Amateur include notable stars such as Ben Curtis (1999 & 2000), Arnold Palmer (1954 & 1955).

Results: Ohio Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Max Watson	Ashland, OH	200	68-73-72-72=285
2	Dhaivat Pandya	Dayton, OH	100	70-72-75-68=285
3	Bill Williamson	Cincinnati, OH	50	70-74-71-71=286
T4	Cade Breitenstine	Akron, OH	50	69-72-74-72=287
T4	Jordan Gilkison	Springboro, OH	50	70-70-74-73=287

View full results for Ohio Amateur

About the Ohio Amateur

Watson's wild ride to the Ohio Amateur title

72-hole stroke play championship with a cut after 36 holes and an additional cut after 54. Must be a resident of the state of Ohio or attending a state university or college in Ohio.