Liebler, at age 52, wins Eastern Amateur

7/10/2011 | by

-- photo hamptonroads.com

Steven Liebler wins his third Eastern title in a playoff with Mitch Gray and Will McCurdy

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (July 10, 2011) -- Steve Liebler's summer keeps getting hotter. After he already qualified for this month's U.S. Senior Open, Liebler won his third Eastern Amateur, defeating Mitch Gray and Will McCurdy in a playoff on a wild final round Sunday at Elizabeth Manor. Liebler, the field's oldest player, became just the third player to win three Eastern Amateur titles. He won in 1981 and '94, and is the only player to win a title in three different decades. "When you are 52 years old and going against kids who are a third of your age and you are able to compete, you just don't have moments like this," said Liebler, a Churchland High graduate. "I'd have to say it's one of the best." Four-time champion Deane Beman (1960-61, 1963-64) and Tom McKnight (1993, 95, '97) are the only others to win three times. Two days after shooting a course-record 29 on the back nine, Liebler played bogey free and shot a 5-under-par 65 to finish 12 under. Gray, a rising senior at Campbell University, shot a final-round 64. But after bogeying 16, Gray had to birdie 17 and 18 to make the playoff. McCurdy, a rising senior at Auburn, shot a 66 and also birdied 18 to force his way into the playoff. In the playoff, all three hit their tee shots in the middle of the fairway at the 365-yard, par-4 first hole. Liebler placed his second shot to within 5 feet, and McCurdy's approach was almost as good, landing about 6 feet away. Gray's shot finished just off the fringe.

Results: Eastern Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
T1	Steven Liebler	Irmo, SC	500	68-64-71-65--268
T1	Mitch Gray	Florence, SC	400	69-69-66-64--268
T1	Will McCurdy	Auburn, AL	400	69-69-64-66--268
4	Andrew Decker	Greenville, NC	300	69-67-67-66--269
T5	Korey Ward	West Chester, OH	300	68-67-69-66--270

View full results for Eastern Amateur

About the Eastern Amateur

The Eastern Amateur is a 72 hole stroke play event that perennially attracts a top-drawer field. The tournament has been played -- with the exception of 1977 and 1999 -- at Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club. Elizabeth Manor is a par 70 Dick Wilso...

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