Beau Hossler wins Western Amateur, one of amateur golf's biggest titles

Story courtesy Western Golf Association CHICAGO (August 2, 2014) – Texas sophomore Beau Hossler of Mission Viejo, California won the 112th Western Amateur after defeating San Diego State senior Xander Schauffele in a dramatic 18-hole match Saturday at The Beverly Country Club in Chicago. Hossler won 1-up despite being down as many as three holes through 11 during the match, which was a reprisal of a contest between the two earlier at the California State Amateur, where Schauffele prevailed. Simply getting to the final match was no easy feat for either player given the depth of this year's field, which included 50 of the world's 100 best players and 21 of the top 37. "This is probably the toughest event we play in all year ... tougher than the U.S. Amateur, in my opinion," Hossler said following the final match. Having advanced to the semifinals by beating medalist and future teammate Doug Ghim on Friday, Hossler ousted Illinois freshman Nick Hardy, 4 and 3, Saturday morning. Hossler took an early lead on Hardy when he sank a long birdie putt on the first hole to save par then birdied Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6. He bogeyed 7 but birdied 8 to reclaim his 4 up lead and maintained it by dropping another bomb on No. 9. He ended it with a birdie 3 on the 15th hole. Schauffele defeated Illinois All-American Brian Campbell, 1-up, in their semifinal to stage the rematch. As a winner of the Western Amateur, Hossler will have him name etched on the George R. Thorne trophy alongside such golf legends as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus and fellow Longhorn Ben Crenshaw.