Viginia Tech's Joey Lane is the 60th Eastern Amateur Champion
It has been a pretty good July for Joey Lane. He started the month as medalist and #1 seed at the VA State Amateur and rolled through match play to become the 103rd VSGA Amateur champion in convincing fashion. This week in Portsmouth at the 60th Eastern Amateur he played a nearly flawless final round of five under 65 to win by four shots.
Lane played the front nine in one under 34, with birdies at 3 and 7, before his only bogey of the day at the 8th. Jackson Spires picked up where he left off on Saturday, with birdies on 2, 3 and 7 to get to 13 under for the tournament and a three shot lead. Spires bogeyed the 9th and led by two heading to the back nine. The key hole was the 12th where Lane birdied and Spires made bogey. Both players stood at 11 under for the tournament through 12 holes. Lane made it two birdies in a row on the 13th and took a one shot lead. Jeg Coughlin, playing a group ahead moved to 11 under par with his birdie on the 15th.
Lane and Spires both made pars on the difficult 14th and the 15th before Lane took control with a birdie at the 203 yd, par three 16th. Spires missed the green at 16 and made bogey. Spires hit his tee shot out of bounds on the 17th, leading to double bogey to fall out of contention. Lane made another par on 17 and led Coughlin by two going to the last. Coughlin’s tee shot found the hazard and he chipped out and played his third to just left of the green. A chip and a missed par putt and Coughlin finished at 10 under in a three way tie for second with Arizona State’s Ryan Douglass and Missouri’s Hayden Buckley.
Lane went to the 18th with a two shot lead and played his tee shot on 18 to the right rough. He played a long iron to the greenside bunker on the par 5. A routine up and down for birdie and Lane was a winner by 4.
Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club, 1 Ace Parker Drive, Portsmouth, VA 23701
Pro Shop, 757-488-6605; Clubhouse 757-488-4534; www.elizabethmanorgolf.com
Eastern Amateur Office: 757-465-1200
61st EASTERN AMATEUR
July 13th-16th, 2017
Played at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club
"Since 1957"
Accepted Players as of June 23, 2017 are posted. Click on 2017 Field.