Stewart best Aussie at Southern Amateur
BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2008 Southern Amateur Championship | Round Four | 20 Jul 2008
Tim Stewart has finished the best Australian at the Southern Amateur at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida.
The 2006 Australian Amateur champion ended the rain-interrupted tournament in T4 position at 12-under-par with rounds of 68-69-70-69, two strokes from winner Kyle Stanely, who secured the title on the first sudden death playoff hole after finishing at 14-under-par with Mike Van Sickle and Judson Eustaquio.
Tim Stewart Audio Interview
Stanley overcame an eight-shot deficit over the final two rounds to win his second Southern Amateur and joined Bobby Jones, Lanny Wadkins and Justin Leonard among those who have won the tournament more than once.
Today’s win also assures Stanley, ranked 3rd in the world, a spot in the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
George Bryan of South Carolina and Matt Savage of Florida tied with Stewart at 12-under-par, after Bryan equalled the Lake Nona course record with a 9-under-par 63.
“I was overall pleased with the way that I played this week, especially how I putted,” said Stewart following his final round.
Stewart’s result at the Southern was his best US performance this season. The twice international winner finished middle of the field at the Players Amateur and T28 at the Dogwood Invitational. His world ranking has moved to thirteen as he prepares for his final US amateur tournament with the Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club, starting 23 July.
“It’s a very positive result for me this week and hopefully I’ll be taking this form to the Porter Cup. After nine weeks away I still feel positive and will be looking to go out with a win if I can,” said the 23-year-old.
Stewart finished the Porter Cup last year in T48 position and returns for his third attempt to claim the 6th world ranked tournament motivated to secure his maiden US amateur victory before returning to Australia.
“Despite all the weather delays this week my game still held up. I’m playing the best golf since arriving here for the Dogwood in June, my mind is focussed and I’m swinging well. I’ll just see how things go but my game feels good.”
Matt Jager, 19, continues to play well-above his age in his first US amateur tour after securing his third top-ten result from three starts at the Southern Amateur, finishing T7 with rounds of 69-67-70-72.
Jager’s chances for selection for the Eisenhower team in October just keeps improving with every US tournament he plays, as does his world ranking which has climbed from 48 at the beginning of his US amateur tour to be currently ranked 21 in the world.
An aggressive driver of the ball, Jager is an exciting talent and has the makings to become one of Australia’s best amateur prospects. His game and form this tour has been nothing short of impressive.
With the Porter Cup and Western Amateur, Jager’s remaining US events, it will be interesting to follow his progress and see if he can become the second Australian to win in the US this season and join Matt Griffin who claimed the Rice Planters title a fortnight-ago in South Carolina.
Scott Arnold and Justin Roach were the next best Australians this week finishing T17 and 5-under-par. US-based collegiate player Matt Giles rounded out the Australians in the top-25 at 3-under-par, whilst Kiwi Danny Lee came in at 1-under-par and T31 for the tournament.
