Owen Bolles wins Desert Amateur in sudden-death playoff
November 19, 2024 | by Justin Golba of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Owen Bolles, View results for Desert Amateur, Golf Club of Estrella
A birdie on the second playoff hole saw Bolles secure the victory over Ajay Morris
Owen Bolles of Chandler, Ariz, captured the Desert Amateur at Golf Club of Estrella with a birdie on the second playoff hole. Bolles shot rounds of 69-68-69 to tie Ajay Morris of Avondale, Ariz., at 10-under. Morris carded rounds of 68-70-68.
Morris and Bolles traded leads all day, with each taking the lead on multiple occasions during the final round. On the first playoff hole, Morris barely missed an opportunity to win as a 6-foot birdie putt slid by the hole. Bolles recently committed to Texas A&M to play collegiately.
On the second playoff hole, Bolles converted a four-foot birdie to win after Morris two-putted for par from 25 feet. Sam Murphy finished two shots out of the playoff at 8-under, good enough for a solo finish in third place.
“Great to come out with the victory," Bolles told the Troon Saguaro Amateur Series. "Sleeping with the lead was tough but it was great to get back in the winner’s circle again. Ajay played great. It was fun going back and forth with him the last three or four holes. It felt great to win in a playoff and finish it off that way.”
He added, "It was time to do something special," about coming down the stretch.
The players were greeted by great weather, with temperatures in the mid-70s and north winds from 8 to 10 miles per hour. This was the first Troon Saguaro Amateur Series event hosted by the Golf Club of Estrella.
The Troon Saguaro Amateur Series, founded in 2017, is a world-ranked amateur tournament series that will host 10 tournaments in the 2024-25 season. This is the fifth year of the Desert Amateur.
The Desert Amateur is the fourth event in the 2024-25 Series year and the first event of the winter swing. The next event will be the Gobbler Amateur, which will be held November 25-26 at Sewailo Golf Course in Tucson.
Results: Desert Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Chandler, AZ | 200 | 69-68-69=206 | |
| T1 | Avondale, AZ | 200 | 68-70-68=206 | |
| 3 | , Ireland | 50 | 74-69-65=208 | |
| 4 | Oldsmar, FL | 50 | 70-70-72=212 | |
| 5 | , Morocco | 50 | 69-74-71=214 |
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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