At the Minnesota Open last week, VanArragon left the pros, and fellow amateurs in his wake with final rounds of 65-64 and a 13-under total -- good for a 9-shot victory.
Evidently he's still in the zone.
Yesterday, VanArragon made an albatross on the first hole, a 474-yard par 5 that was one of his two eagles today. Playing a hole in 5-under in two days? We're pretty sure that ties a record, if it doesn't set one.
VanArragon will take an 8-shot lead into the final round. He seems to be following the same strategy he had in the Minnesota Open, when he said:
“I wanted to do what I could to put myself in the best position instead of trying to win the tournament,” he said. “The two state tournaments I won as a junior were both really close, so I’ve never had a big lead like that. It was a completely different experience for me, and I definitely didn’t feel comfortable knowing who was behind me.”
Van Arragon is a two time Minn. Golf Association player of the year. During his first four seasons at Valparaiso, he has collected three collegiate wins, more than 15 top-5 finishes and nearly 30 top-10s.
As a freshman he shattered the single-season scoring record and has since beaten it twice. The former Blaine High School standout will return for a fifth season this fall.