For 53 holes Rob Auckland was the class of the field at the South Saskatchewan Amateur golf tournament.
On the final hole he nearly threw it all away.
Auckland survived a quadruple bogey on the 18th hole to win the South Sask. title by a stroke Monday at the Hillcrest Golf Course.
“On 18 I thought I had four shots, but I had a five-shot lead actually,” said Auckland. “I got up without thinking and hit my playing partner’s ball.”
Playing Trevor Benson’s ball cost Auckland a two stoke penalty.
“That flustered me — I hit it over the green and then was behind a tree,” said Auckland who shook his head and then started laughing as he marveled at his misadventure.
“I’m glad I ended up winning because I don’t know if I could ever live with myself if I choked that bad.
“I’m kind of disappointed, but at the end I had a 10-footer I had to sink.”
Auckland sunk the shot and finished the tournament with a three-day 216. He shot a 69 Saturday and a 70 Sunday to sit three-under par with a six shot lead on Tyler Zaba heading into the final round.
Zaba, the two-time defending champion, finished second after shooting a final round 74 for a three-day 217. Benson and Mark Albert finished tied for third at 226, with Benson finishing third via retrogression.
Benson also won the annual horse race Sunday. The event features the top 10 golfers after the second round playing off with one golfer being eliminated after each hole. Benson chipped in on the final hole to beat Del Jocelyn.
For more please see Tuesday's Times-Herald.
