Foster wins Rice Planters in playoff
IN: News | US Mens Amateur | Rice Planters Amateur (2007) | Round Four | by Anthony Powter | 08 Jul 2007
Australian Michael Foster has clinched his first major American amateur title in dramatic style over fellow countryman Josh Younger, to secure the 2007 Rice Planters Amateur on the second sudden death playoff hole at Snee Farm Country Club in South Carolina.
Both Foster and Younger ended the tournament at twelve under, to force the playoff after both let chances to secure the tournament slip in the closing holes.
“I had it going today and was seven under through fourteen,” commented Foster.
“Then the rain hit and I started thinking about it too much and limped home with doubles on fifteen and seventeen. Josh [Younger] also made double on the seventeenth then made about a fifteen footer on the last to go to extra holes.”
The sudden death playoff lasted just two holes, with both Younger and Foster feeling the pressure. Ultimately, it would be Foster’s putter that would secure the title and he now joins former Australian winners at Snee Farm, Aron Price and Tristan Lambert.
“We both bogeyed the first playoff hole, the eighteenth, then went back to play the seventeenth a 223 yard par three. Josh missed the green and couldn’t get up and down and I had to two putt from about 30 feet for the win.”
Matthew Griffin finished a single stroke from joining Foster and Younger, after a final round three under 69, to be eleven under for the tournament. Rudi Bezuidenhout was the next best Australian, finishing fifth at ten under and was joined by Richie Callichan and Rohan Blizard, who filled out the top ten finishes.
Foster, who is playing in his first American tour, won earlier in the year the Western Australian amateur and had secured a number of top ten results in national selection events. Foster headed to America last month unsure about what he would experience about playing there.
“I can’t wait to find what America is like. I understand it’s pretty full on and that’s going to be a challenge. I’ll see how things go, it’s my first trip so I’m kind of not knowing what to expect,” were his comments to me just before he left for America.
Upon arriving in America, Foster experienced the stark differences between top Australian and US amateur events, namely how well the tournaments are run and how much depth in the field exists in America. He finished T32 in his first event, the Sunnehanna Amateur, followed by T49 at the Monroe invitational, but was well back in the field last week at the Dogwood Invitational.
He headed to South Carolina a little dejected about his game and how he was playing against the Americans.
Things started to change for Foster at Snee Farm and victory this morning in the Rice Planters was certainly justified from a player who kept his composure during heat of the moment to secure his first major American amateur from only his fourth start.
The 2007 Rice Planters was again kind to the Australians and they will move with confidence this week to The Player’s Amateur, in Bluffton, South Carolina, one of the biggest and prestigious events on the American schedule. Foster was the first to strike in America and the timing could not have been better, both for Foster and his Aussie mates.
