Top 10 men's storylines: Pugh's comeback

By Ron Balicki, Golfweek

There were plenty of good stories that came out of amateur golf this past season, exciting, happy endings as well as disappointing, heart-breaking endings.

From Steven Fox winning the U.S. Amateur, to Nathan Smith capturing a record fourth U.S. Mid-Amateur to a 14-year-old from China qualifying for next year’s Masters -- and a whole lot more along the way.

I’ve been covering amateur golf at just about every level for some 30 years and it seems each year provides its own share of interesting stories, whether in victory or defeat.

Golfweek's Top 10 Stories of 2012 No. 10: Guan wins Asian Am | Read No. 9: Peter Williamson's Summer | Read No. 8 Rhys Pugh's Comeback | Read No. 7: Chris Williams' Western Am run | Read No. 6: Daan Huizing wins Lytham Trophy | Read No. 5: USA dominates World Am Team | Read No. 4: T.J. Vogel wins U.S. Public Links | Read No. 3: Alan Dunbar wins British Amateur | Read No. 2: Nathan Smith wins 4th U.S. Mid-Am | Read No. 1: Steven Fox wins thrilling U.S. Am | Read

Compiling a list of the best of them for 2012 was difficult, but here is a list of my top 10:

Rhys Pugh, a sophomore at East Tennessee State from Wales, shot a closing-round 66 to win the European Amateur at Carton House’s Montgomerie course. It was an incredible comeback as Pugh trailed by eight shots going into the final day.

Pugh’s winning total was 11-under 277 and he won by one stroke over fellow countryman James Frazer, who came in with an impressive 62 in the previous day’s third round.