Tag: Lincoln Land Championship

‘I just kind of went for it:’ Brett Drewitt earns first Korn Ferry Tour win at Lincoln Land Championship

Brett Drewitt “just kind of went for it” to win his first Korn Ferry Tour event at the Lincoln Land Championship.

Australian golfer Brett Drewitt thought about skipping the Lincoln Land Championship.

He missed his family in Florida and had only made six of 18 cuts since the start of the season. Thankfully, Drewitt decided otherwise after a chat with his wife, Brianna.

Drewitt capitalized with a one-stroke victory Sunday at 19-under-par, his first win since last year on the Outlaw Tour and first-ever on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I just kind of went for it,” said Drewitt, who finished the round 3-under. “I said, ‘You know what, I’m doing this for a living and a lot of people would kill for that.’ I just went at it and played my own game.”

Drewitt held off three others who finished at 18-under: Harry Hall, Ben Kohles and Austen Truslow.

Lincoln Land Championship: Leaderboard

Hall, of England, missed a short par putt on the final hole to give Drewitt the advantage while Truslow’s birdie attempt on No. 18 came just a few inches short to seal the win for the Aussie. Charlie Saxon led the previous three rounds but four bogeys — including the opening hole — dropped him to a tie for seventh place at 16-under. Anders Albertson, the 2018 tournament champion, tied Dawson Armstrong for fifth place at 17-under.

Drewitt knew where he stood after watching Hall’s miss in the group ahead of him. Hall didn’t know.

“I didn’t know my position in the field until I looked at the scores after I signed my card,” Hall said. “I think I was just trying to do the best I could all day. I putt great all week. I don’t think I probably missed a putt inside of eight feet all week and it happened on the last hole from four feet, so it was annoying.

“But I think not knowing the score and just doing the same thing that I’ve done all day, that was probably my best chance and I just made a poor stroke. I think when I’m in that position next time, I should probably take an extra breath. I wouldn’t have changed anything today. It just didn’t go in on the last hole.”

Drewitt just needed to finish No. 18 with two putts from outside 30 feet.

“It’s surreal right now,” Drewitt said. “It’s been a hard road definitely the last couple of years and this year has just been a rollercoaster. To be honest, I felt calm out there. Even yesterday, I felt very calm. I didn’t get too nervous. I just knew all I had to do was hit fairways and hit it to the fat side of pins and give myself chances.”

Drewitt collected $108,000 and 500 points in the Korn Ferry Tour standings. He previously had two top-10 finishes this season and his previous win before the Outlaw Tour was in the PGA Tour Series in China in 2014.

He grabbed a two-stroke lead after consecutive birdies on the par-5 13th and par-3 14th. Drewitt used a 9-iron to reach within 8 feet of the pin on No. 14.

“The putt was better because I feel like in these situations, the hardest putts are the straight putts and that was a dead-straight putt,” Drewitt said. “It was nice to see it go in.”

He gutted it out in the end and intends to stick with it for at least one more week for the Evans Scholars Invitational near Chicago beginning Thursday.

“I’m going to go in there and try to win again,” Drewitt said.

Charlie Saxon looks to go wire-to-wire at Korn Ferry Tour’s Lincoln Land Championship

Charlie Saxon put together another strong round on Saturday and is looking to go wire-to-wire at the Lincoln Land Championship.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A nettlesome wedge shot flustered Charlie Saxon enough for him to vent a little frustration on his club during the third round of the Lincoln Land Championship at Panther Creek Country Club on Saturday.

He quickly rebounded on the next hole with his only birdie on the back nine to preserve a one-stroke lead over 2018 tournament champion Anders Albertson and enter Sunday’s final round at 18-under-par.

Austen Truslow and Brett Drewitt remain close behind in third at 16-under while Ben Kohles sits fifth at 14-under.

“It was good after kind of parring it out there for 10 or so holes,” Saxon said of his birdie on the par-5 16th, breaking a streak of 11 straight pars. “It was nice to hit a good iron on the green there. I hit a pretty abysmal eagle putt but it was nice to roll in a 3-footer for birdie. I played a solid two holes coming in and I’m sitting in a good spot.”

Saxon, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, also dropped his putter on No. 15 after missing his golden birdie opportunity that started with a promising long drive within 100 yards of the green. But Saxon said his caddie, Ryan Boshoven, helped allay the frustration.

His patience paid off on No. 16 with a birdie after nailing the middle of the green from 195 yards with a 7-iron on the par-5.

Lincoln Land Championship: Leaderboard

“The putter was an accident,” Saxon said of No. 15. “I had 85 yards from there — pretty easy wedge shot. I was just biding my time all day waiting for an opportunity to really get a good look at birdie. That was a bit of a bummer. It was nice to back it up with a birdie.”

Albertson, who has one top-10 finish this year and ranks 75th in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings, chipped in from 94 yards for eagle on No. 8 and birdied Nos. 13 and 16.

“I was doing some work on the range last night,” Albertson said of his chip shot. “That was a great number for me.”

Albertson previously went 25-under at Panther Creek in 2018 for his only victory on tour. He also finished fifth in 2017, one stroke away from reaching a four-way playoff won by Adam Schenk.

“It’s nice to come back to a place where you’ve had success,” Albertson said.

For the third straight round, Saxon had no bogeys. The University of Oklahoma graduate last won professionally in June 2018 on the PGA Tour Series in China and is ranked 51st in the point standings with two top-10 finishes. This year’s champion receives 500 points in the Korn Ferry standings and $108,000 with four more tournaments left on the schedule.

“I really didn’t hit it as well as I have the last few days,” Saxon said. “The putter saved me at the end of the day. I made a couple real nice 70-footers (for a two-putt) for par on the front nine. They kept my round together.

“It wasn’t the cleanest round even though my scorecard was lacking bogeys, but I’m happy with it. We’re moving forward. Hopefully I play a little bit better tomorrow.”

Charlie Saxon bogey-free for second day, leads after 36 holes at Korn Ferry Tour’s Lincoln Land Championship

Charlie Saxon went bogey-free for a second day to keep his lead after 36 holes at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Lincoln Land Championship.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Charlie Saxon had another dream start.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma, native wrangled three straight birdies early in the second round of the Lincoln Land Championship at Panther Creek Country Club and stayed atop the leaderboard at 15-under-par for a two-stroke lead over Australian Brett Drewitt.

Saxon didn’t quite match his career-low 61 from Thursday but once again went bogey-free at 5-under 66 Friday.

“It’s a long tournament on a relatively easy golf course, so you’re just going to have to make birdies,” Saxon said. “I just tried to run away from everybody as far as I could.”

Saxon last pulled out a win in June 2018 on the PGA Tour Series in China.

“It’s been a little longer than I would’ve liked, but hopefully we solve that this weekend,” Saxon said.

Drewitt was among three players to score 9-under Friday but stands alone at second. Vincent Whaley is third with a 12-under total while Harry Hall and 2018 tournament champion Anders Albertson are tied for fourth at 11-under.

Drewitt had six birdies on his first nine holes and credited that string of fortune to his putter.

“I just got some putts to drop, which was really nice,” Drewitt said. “I haven’t had that yet this year.”

Whaley, a Georgia Tech alum, said he wasn’t as sharp Friday and watched another Yellow Jacket, Albertson, surge into contention.

“It’s one of those courses where it’s not overly demanding off the tee but if you hit it just a little out of position it’s tough to hit it close to some of these holes,” Whaley said. “The greens kind of firmed up and the whole course really firmed up, so it was playing a little tougher than yesterday, too.”

Hall, a recent graduate from University of Nevada Las Vegas, finished with three straight birdies to build momentum into the weekend.

“Finished like a Rebel today, that’s the saying of Coach (Dwaine) Knight at UNLV,” Hall said. “I was just so in the zone that it didn’t feel like my last three holes. I just kept doing what I was doing.”

Saxon had looks down the stretch to expand his lead but couldn’t convert with his putter.

“I played solid the rest of the day,” Saxon said. “I didn’t quite putt as well as I did yesterday. Overall, it was a solid round. I was proud of how I stayed patient even though the putts weren’t falling and I was able to scoop up a few on the par-5s.”

The University of Oklahoma graduate thrived against the wind Thursday afternoon. This time he played under calmer conditions.

“A lot less was going on, so kind of funny that the tougher conditions I was five shots better,” Saxon said. “But that’s how golf is sometimes.”

Nick Hardy feeling back at home in Illinois during Lincoln Land Championship

Illinois grad Nick Hardy has been pleased with his success so far this Korn Ferry Tour season, especially after round one in Springfield.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — University of Illinois graduate Nick Hardy has been pleased with his success so far this season on the Korn Ferry Tour.

That continued after the first round of the Lincoln Land Championship on Thursday at Panther Creek Country Club.

Hardy started at 4-under through the first seven holes and finished at 2-under 71.

“I played well the first few holes,” said Hardy, who began on No. 10. “I think those are more of the easier holes on the course. I was happy to take care of those and play well on those.”

Hardy, 24, is 16th in the KFT point standings with five top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish in The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar in January.

“I’m in good shape on the points list,” the Northbrook native said. “I’ve been playing this summer. I’m happy with how consistent my game has been week in and week out. There’s been a lot of positives to take away from this year.”

Hardy attributed that to a positive mindset, something he needed down the stretch. He had three bogeys on the last nine holes but also two birdies. His tee shot on No. 8 forced a punch-out that led to a long bunker shot to the pin.

He salvaged a bogey and converted a tricky two-putt to save par on No. 9 to close the round.

Hardy said he was pretty happy with his day overall.

“I just made some mistakes today,” Hardy said. “I had four bogeys but I played pretty well. The wind’s going to pick up this afternoon, so I got a good number in for a first round. So, I’m still in it for the weekend.”

Hardy, who last appeared in this tournament two years ago, feels nothing but good vibes, even if some of his college acquaintances and all of the spectators can’t come out to see him play due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I love central Illinois. It’s obviously close to home for me and I love it here,” he said.

“With the COVID going on, you obviously can’t have spectators out here otherwise I’m sure there would be some buddies that would come out here. It’s too bad but it’s just good to be back here.”

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Charlie Saxon goes low with 10-under 61, leads Lincoln Land Championship after first round

Charlie Saxon went low on Thursday with a 10-under 61 to take a two-shot lead at the Lincoln Land Championship.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A breezy afternoon wind swept through Panther Creek Country Club on Thursday.

It was no match for Charlie Saxon from the windswept lands of Oklahoma.
The Tulsa native birdied the first three holes and then reeled off four in a row on the back nine en route to 10-under-par 61 in the first round of the Lincoln Land Championship for a two-stroke lead over Vincent Whaley.

“I got off to a great start,” Saxon said. “I think I birdied my first three and feeling good. I had some great swings to start the day. I felt good with the putter and I just kept hitting good golf shots.”

“It wasn’t my goal to shoot 59. I was just trying to hit good shots. I’m thrilled with a 61,” he added.

Saxon said he once scored a 59 in a practice round but this was his personal best in professional play. The University of Oklahoma graduate has two top-10 finishes this year and is ranked 51st in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings.

But Saxon said it was a largely uneventful day, no small thanks to his driver soaring long distances and cheating over doglegs. He had four straight birdies beginning on No. 10 until he lipped out a birdie attempt on the par-3 15th.

Dirty Meadow: Four pro golfers all live in the same house

“I drove it really well,” said Saxon, who was sporting an OU belt buckle. “That’s the key out here. If you’re driving it well and hitting the fairway and giving yourself a lot of wedge opportunities, yeah it felt great with the driver. I was able to cut a few corners with the wind how it was. Maybe a few holes played a lot shorter than I guess they’re supposed to be.

“It’s golf. Sometimes everything goes in your favor. When one of those days happens, you just got to keep it rolling.”

Saxon overtook Whaley, a Georgia Tech grad, who began the tournament with 2018 tournament champion and fellow Yellow Jacket Anders Albertson.

Whaley didn’t get any course tips, but he did acquire Albertson’s old caddie, Michael Hinds, from the 2018 victory.

“When he won, Michael was on his bag,” Whaley said. “So he knows the course well. I played well here last year, but it was a good grouping, it was fun.”

How much did the caddie contribute to the strong start?

“I’m sure he thinks so,” Whaley said. “I don’t know. He’s great. He helps me the whole time. Nothing in particular, just trusting him.”

Whaley started 3-under after the front nine and later knocked down a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th.

“It was pretty clean,” Whaley said. “I didn’t hit it overly close, it was just one of those rounds where I kept getting reads from my playing partners all day so I knew where a lot of putts were breaking and I was able to get them to drop.

“My eagle putt on 16, that was a nice 30-footer after Anders gave me a perfect read. A lot of good putts, nothing bad.”

Thursday’s wind didn’t start picking up until the middle of the day.

“Having the first tee time off was great, I haven’t had that in a long time,” Whaley said. “I’m usually last off. That was very nice. We didn’t have a ton of wind until the last four or five holes and I think it’s going to continue to be windy all day.”

Ryan Brehm and Ben Kohles finished the round tied at 6 under for third place.

Whaley has appeared on the PGA Tour this year, finishing as high as 29th place at January’s The American Express in La Quinta, California.

Whaley said his swing is now starting to feel better since the quarantine.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs but I feel better with where my game is at right now.”

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