Babbitt wins 61st Eastern Amateur with final round 65.  Douglass runner-up

Barry Babbitt of Rollins College is the 61st Eastern Amateur champion after posting a 5-under 65.  Babbitt started strong with birdies on the 2nd and 3rd.  After a bogey on 5, he birdied 7, 8 and 10 to take the lead for good.  A birdie on the short par 4 13th gave him a 2 shot lead that he would not relinquish.  Babbitt made 5 steady pars coming in and claimed the 2 shot victory.  The 3rd round leader, Canadian golfer Myles Creighton, who plays for Radford University managed a single birdie on the round.  Creighton was 2 shots behind going to the 17th before a bogey led to even par 70 and a 3rd place finish.  Playing in the group ahead of the last group, Arizona St. golfer Ryan Douglass started fast with birdies on his first 2 holes of the day and added another at the 8th to get to 11-under.  3 consecutive birdies starting at 12 and Douglass was within 2 of the lead.  A double bogey at 15, followed by birdies on 16 and 18 gave Douglass a 6-under 64 and his second consecutive runner-up finish.  Brandon Yoon, incoming Virginia freshman and Marquette golfer Matt Murlick finished tied for 4th at 12-under par.  Easton Paxton, incoming NC State freshman had a final round 65 to finish tied for 6th at 11-under with Belmont Abbey’s Nick Stafford and 36 hole leader J.B. Williams of Akron.  Rounding out the top 10 were Virginia Tech golfer Mark Lawrence and East Tennessee State’s Ben Reichert.   Elizabeth Manor members John Rosenstock (5-under) and Adam Horton (4-under) led the local contingent of golfers.   

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"