Parker Gillam wins Orlando International Amateur (Photo: Orlando Int. Am)
Parker Gillam of Danville, Calif. outlasted
Wyatt Plattner and
Noah Kumar in a three-way playoff to win the Orlando International Amateur after the three players finished tied at 12 under.
Gillam held the lead after the first round when he fired a 65. However, that great opening round merely left him in a tie for the lead. Scores were low across the board at the Panther Lake and Crooked Cat courses at the Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge. It set the stage for an exciting finish.
The final round started with seven players sitting between 10 under and 7 under. Gillam sat one shot behind the leaders
Brendan Valdes and
Ty Gingerich. Both Valdes and Gingerich missed the playoff by one shot.
Gillam, after arriving at the tournament looking to have fun and get back into the groove of playing golf after some time away, found himself engaged and nervous down the stretch. However, he liked where he was as the final round played out.
"I love being one back and not in the final group. I was just worrying about what I was doing and not really caring about what they were doing behind me," Gillam said after the round.
It took an 18th hole birdie on the par-five at the Panther course for Gillam to even make it into the playoff.
"I didn't really have any nerves until the last couple holes coming down the stretch and I realized this is going to be close," Gillam said.
Gillam, Plattner, and Kumar combined for one bogey on their collective back nines, so they certainly played steady golf coming down the stretch. It took a birdie on the second playoff hole to secure the win. Kumar bowed out after the first playoff hole, leaving Plattner and Gillam to battle for the trophy.
Gillam recently graduated from Wake Forest where he earned PING All-American honorable mention following tying for 15th in the NCAA National Championships. He proved in 2019 he has the capability of going low after shooting a single round and school record 60 at the White Sands Intercollegiate.
"I owe my golf game to coach Haas and coach O'Callaghan. Without those two I would not be the player that I am right now."
Gillam has his eyes set on Forme Tour or the Mackenzie Tour this spring, this win will surely be a nice boost to his confidence.
ABOUT THE Orlando International Amateur
The Orlando International Amateur Championship is
an annual golf tournament gathering high-level
amateur golfers from the United States of America
and abroad. 54-hole stroke play championship,
playing 18 holes per day.
Open to low-handicap amateurs, players who play
college golf, players who have qualified for any of
the
current year's USGA or R&A championships, and
those who have the recommendation of their
country’s Federation or Association.
View Complete Tournament Information