Hot final round lifts Gingerich to Ohio Amateur crown

Sometimes all you can do is tip your hat.

After beginning the final round of the Ohio Amateur with a two-stroke lead over Ty Gingerich and Tyler Goecke, Troy Taylor II figured it would take some extraordinary golf to catch him, especially if he didn't beat himself.

The Michigan State grad student birdied four of his last seven holes at Maketwah Country Club in Cincinnati en route to a final round of 69 (-2), which on any other day might have been good enough to close the door on the Buckeye State's most coveted title in amateur golf.

But it wasn't meant to be, as University of Cincinnati standout Ty Gingerich blitzed Maketwah with an 8-under 63 to wrestle the title away from Taylor.

Gingerich used four birdies on his outward nine to open a two-shot lead over Taylor at the turn before taking things to a whole new level over on the backside. Gingerich ran off three consecutive birdies on 12, 13, 14 to move to six under on the day and then just for fun, eagled the par-5 15th for the second time in three days to put the finishing touches on a bogey-free round of 63.

The Carmel, Ind. native finished at 19-under 265 (67-66-69-63) to add his name to the Ohio Amateur trophy won previously by Arnold Palmer, Frank Stranahan and John Cook, to name a few. After a birdie on the first, Taylor found himself 2-over after 11 following his third bogey of the day, but finished strong with birdies on four of his last seven holes for a 2-under round of 69 which left him at 15-under 269 for his five days of work.

Goecke, who plays collegiately at Wright State, also closed with a 69 to lock up a third place finish at 13-uner 271.