The Avondale Golf Club member held his nerve in a tense playoff to become just the second Australian to hoist the historic Early Grey Cup, a win that also comes with an exemption into next year\u2019s RBC Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Donovan fired rounds of 69-67-67-64 across the four days but not even his 6-under final round which included an eagle at the par-4 10th could separate he and star Canadian Isaiah Ibit after 72 holes.<\/p>\n
Both players made par on the first playoff hole before Ibit lost his ball going for the green in two on the second extra hole.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old Aussie took the conservative approach in response, getting up-and-down for birdie to secure the win, his first ever triumph in a playoff.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve played tournaments before. I\u2019ve won, and I have been behind the eight ball, and I think the biggest thing that I\u2019ve learned in situations like today is just keep hitting the ball. Don\u2019t let your head take you out of it,\u201d said O\u2019Donovan.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust keep hitting as many good shots as possible, and I definitely did that today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of opportunity that comes with this event. I couldn\u2019t stop myself from thinking about what could happen if I did win.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think rolling that putt in on the last really let the feeling sink in that I\u2019m going to be playing in a PGA TOUR event and I\u2019m going to be playing my first US Amateur.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year has already been a fruitful one for the NSW High Performance squad member, having successfully defended his NSW Amateur title and winning his home Avondale Amateur. O\u2019Donovan also led his state to this year\u2019s Australian Interstate Teams Matches win in Perth.<\/p>\n
He now joins fellow Australians Billy Dowling, Coby Carruthers and Arrow Aarav Shah in the field for the US Amateur to be played at The Olympic Club in San Francisco from August 11-17.<\/p>\n
– Patrick Taylor.<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9 Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
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