JOHNSTOWN —
Sebastian Vazquez of Mexico City appreciated his tie for third place in the 59th Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions.
“It was a great experience,” Vazquez said. “I hope I can come next year and win it.”
Vazquez had a share of the lead entering Sunday’s final round before falling off the pace of champion Bobby Wyatt of Mobile, Ala. Wyatt shot a 9-under 271.
Runner-up Mike Miller had a 273, and Vazquez, Nicholas Reach and Justin Thomas each tied at 274.
The 2011 Mexican International Amateur champion was under par in all three of the early rounds (67, 69, 67) and had only one bogey entering the final day.
He encountered a few trouble spots on Sunday but took it in stride.
“I don’t get mad,” Vazquez said after a solid round of 1-over 71 on Sunday. “It’s a sport and you have to enjoy it. I try to have a good time.”
Vazquez was among a group of golfers waiting to board a 3:30 p.m. bus to Pittsburgh, where many of the players were set to catch flights back to their homes.
His trip to Westmont from Mexico City was memorable.
“I flew to Atlanta, then to Pittsburgh and then I drove two hours,” Vazquez said. “It’s not an easy flight. I’m riding the bus back (to Pittsburgh) and spending the night in Pittsburgh, and then take the plane (this) morning.”
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’Bama: The University of Alabama’s presence at Sunnehanna was well-documented throughout the Amateur.
Champion Wyatt was just one of five players from the Crimson Tide’s SEC
championship squad that placed second in the NCAA Division I Tournament to appear at Sunnehanna.
SEC champion and conference player of the year Thomas was at or near the top of the leaderboard all weekend.
Thomas finished in a tie for third. Cory Whitsett, a second-team All-American, placed 11th.
Tom Lovelady tied for 35th, and Trey Mullinax tied for 66th.
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International presence: Eight flags representing the countries of players participating in this year’s Amateur flew above the Sunnehanna Country Club pro shop.
Vazquez, Juan Carlos Benitez, Patrick Sanchez and Carlos Ortiz each represented Mexico (Mexico City, Pueblo, Jalisco and Mazatlan).
Rafael Backer, Julio Vegas and Robert De Biase are from South America (Brazil and Venezuela).
Jarryd Dillas is a three-time Bermuda Amateur champion who was among the Sunnehanna field.
Keelan Kilpatrick is from New Zealand. Kevin Lim is a native of Seoul, South Korea.
Justin Shin is a native of British Columbia.
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Rankings: Eight players listed in the top 20 of GolfWeek’s U.S. Rankings played in the 59th Sunnehanna Amateur.
For the most part, those ranked players lived up to their billing on the par-70 Sunnehanna Country Club course.
Amateur winner Wyatt is ranked 10th.
Thomas, who finished in a tie for third at the Amateur, is ranked fourth.
Last year’s Amateur runner-up Zac Blair is ranked sixth. Blair placed in a tie for 15th this time.
Jim Liu is ranked seventh. He finished in a tie for 24th at Sunnehanna.
Max Homa (ranked ninth, finished tied for 12th), Jeffrey Kang (ranked tied for 13th, finished sixth), Michael Kim (ranked tied for 13th, finished seventh), and Whitsett (ranked tied for 17th, finished 11th) also are in the U.S. Rankings.
Sports
Related Photos
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Sebastian Vazquez putts on No. 17 during Sunday’s final round of the Sunnehanna Amateur. Vazquez finished in a tie for third. ERIC KNOPSNYDER
Discussion
NOTEBOOK| Player had a good time despite third-place tie
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