Sugimoto races to an Agave Amateur title

Steve Sugimoto (San Diego, Calif.) shot a final round 6-under par 65 to overtake second round co-leaders Ryan Bisharat (El Cajon, Calif.) and Tyler Moore (Riverside, Calif.) to capture the 2019 Agave Amateur at Shadow Hills Golf Club in Indio, Calif. Sugimoto, a junior at San Diego State University, got off to a hot start as he was 5 under par through 7 holes. He then played steadily all the way to the finish. Bisharat had a chance to force a playoff on 18 but his 12-foot birdie putt slid past the hole. "I knew I had to shoot a low number," said Sugimoto. "Ryan and Tyler are both good players and I knew I had to get off to a good start. Got off to a good start, made a lot of putts and thankfully it was enough. It’s my first real amateur win. It’s been a while since I’ve won so it feels great to be up there." Hunter Epson (Long Beach, Calif.), the defending Agave Amateur Champion, shot the low round of the tournament in the final round, a 7-under par 64 to vault over 60 places to tie for 17th. Sugimoto also had success in a previous Saguaro Amateur tournament series event, finishing 4th in the Sizzler Amateur earlier this year in Scottsdale, Ariz. The next event in the series is the Saguaro Amateur itself, to be played in Maricopa, Ariz. shortly after the new year.