Gabriel Salvanera wins Desert Amateur at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes
12/5/2021 | by Jim Young of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Desert Amateur, Golf Club of Estrella
Arizona State sophomore earns title with final-round 62
Arizona State sophomore Gabe Salvanera shot a final round 62 on Sunday to capture the Desert Amateur held at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in Maricopa, Ariz.
Salvanera, who entered the day two strokes behind 36-hole leader and Sun Devil teammate Jeewon Park, finished at 17-under 199 to earn a four-stroke victory over Jose Luis Ballester, who also plays at Arizona State, while Brock Polhill, who plays collegiately at Wichita State, finished seven back at 10-under 206.
Salvanera made three consecutive birdies out of the gates on Sunday and never looked back en route to a final round 62. He picked up two more birdies on holes 7 and 9 to turn in 31 and added five more birdies on his inward nine to seal the four-shot win.
“First and foremost, none of this would be possible without God, my family, my friends, and coaches," said Salvanera. "Throughout the tournament, my ball-striking was really good and I just needed to see some putts drop. Fortunately during the final round they did. I’m still learning and growing in each tournament. I plan to continue to get better and make an impact next spring with my boys at ASU.”
Park, who had the overnight lead at 9-under, finished tied for fourth at 8-under following a final round 73.
The next event in the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series will be the Agave Amateur, Dec. 17-20 at Shadow Hills Golf Club in Indio, Calif.
Salvanera made three consecutive birdies out of the gates on Sunday and never looked back en route to a final round 62. He picked up two more birdies on holes 7 and 9 to turn in 31 and added five more birdies on his inward nine to seal the four-shot win.
“First and foremost, none of this would be possible without God, my family, my friends, and coaches," said Salvanera. "Throughout the tournament, my ball-striking was really good and I just needed to see some putts drop. Fortunately during the final round they did. I’m still learning and growing in each tournament. I plan to continue to get better and make an impact next spring with my boys at ASU.”
Park, who had the overnight lead at 9-under, finished tied for fourth at 8-under following a final round 73.
The next event in the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series will be the Agave Amateur, Dec. 17-20 at Shadow Hills Golf Club in Indio, Calif.
Results: Desert Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen Creek, AZ | 300 | 68-69-62=199 | |
| 2 | , Spain | 200 | 67-70-66=203 | |
| 3 | Edmond, OK | 100 | 69-68-69=206 | |
| T4 | Oklahoma City, OK | 100 | 72-69-67=208 | |
| T4 | , Korea | 100 | 70-65-73=208 |
About the Desert Amateur
A part of the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, the Desert Amateur is open to amateur golfers who meet the eligibility and exemption requirements which include position in various rankings, USGA appearances, and state amateur and mid-amateur champions. M...
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