So when Howard, a native of Hot Springs, won a two-hole, three-way playoff at the Spirit of America Championship on Sunday afternoon at Burningtree Country Club, a bit of redemption was had.
"That was kind of going through my head a little bit coming into the tournament," Howard said of the missed opportunity at the Arkansas State Amateur two weeks earlier. "Going into the last round, knowing what happened last time, I just tried to put myself in a good spot. I tried to really just focus."
Howard posted rounds of 69 and 72 in the first two rounds to trail fellow playoff-mates Reed Lindsey and Jimmy Reist by two at the par-71 Burningtree Country Club.
On the back nine of the final round, Howard three-putted the par-5 16th hole and made a disappointing par. Trailing by two, Howard thought he may have lost his chance.
"On 16 I had an eagle putt and I three- putted for par and that's when I kind of thought I was out of it," Howard said. "I knew I needed to birdie the next two so I tried to play aggressive."
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Brice Howard
picked up
his biggest win William T. Martin/courtesy of The Decatur Daily |
Reist made an unfortunate double bogey at the par-4 17th, while Lindsey made bogey. The trio headed to 18 deadlocked at the top of the leaderboard. Howard, who hadn't bogeyed since the eighth hole, made his fifth par in a row as the group headed back to 18 for a three-way playoff.
After all players parred the first hole, an up- and- down out of the bunker on the second playoff hole secured the win for Howard.
"It's probably the biggest win I've got," Howard said. "I feel good."
The rain-shortened event, which had Friday's second round cancelled due to heavy rains and lightning, was scheduled for 72 holes and was being defended by John-Michael O'Toole, a graduating senior from the University of Cincinnati.
O'Toole, a native of Pinson, Ala., tied for 10th place, shooting rounds of 69, 73, and 75 in his attempt to defend.
One of two runners-up, Reist of Decatur, Ala., is a member at the host club and at 52-years-old, would have been an impressive winner at the 48th running of the event.
Lindsey, a Delta State University senior from Ripley, Miss., got back into the tournament with a second-round 67 before posting 73 on the final day.