SNOW HILL — It took Matt Hendrix and Jin Jeong three trips down the 575-yard par-5 18th — including two trips during a two-man playoff — before the two could separate themselves atop the leaderboard. But in the end, Hendrix was able to outlast the Korean-born Australian to win the third annual Cutter Creek Golf Classic championship on Sunday afternoon.
“I can’t say enough about this golf course,” Hendrix said. “I knew right away that it just matched the putter I was rolling, the loft of my putter. It felt great.”
During the second playoff hole, a second shot approach by Hendrix from about 230 yards out landed just behind the hole — a shot nearly identical to the one he played in the first playoff, both landing between 20 to 30 feet behind the hole.
“I got away with a poor shot in regulation, but I had two good numbers in the playoff,” Hendrix said of No. 18. “I put two great swings on it, I couldn’t have asked for two better swings of the week at that time.”
However, unlike the first playoff when Jeong matched Hendrix’s shot, placing his ball on the same line but five feet closer to the pin, Jeong’s third shot was a chip from the left side of the green. The attempt left Jeong with a 10-foot putt that he couldn’t connect and signaled that Hendrix’s two-putt birdie was enough to secure the victory.
“Matt played pretty solid,” Jeong said. “He hit the same spots three times in a row and he deserved the victory.”
The win this weekend, along with previous tour event finishes, earned Hendrix an exemption into the Utah Championship next month, a stop on the PGA’s Web.com Tour.
Although the lead stayed between 12-under and 14-under most of the afternoon, there were no shortage of leaders and ties on the leaderboard among the final four groups to finish up their rounds. The change atop the leaderboard was a trend that held true throughout the Cutter Creek Golf Classic. Eight different golfers (Clayton Rask, Mark Silvers, Ben Klaus, Kevin Hall, Matt Hendrix, Adam Hogue, Jeong and Hendrix) finished a day of the tournament in at least a share of first place, and no golfer held the end-of-round lead more than one day.
“When I saw the leaderboard on the 15th green, there were two or three other 13s on the board,” Hendrix said. “I knew there were four or five guys, and the way the wind here on 18, eagle was sitting right there and then anything could happen.”
Ken Looper, who started Round 4 at 7-under, hit his stride after making the turn. He birdied the first four holes of the back nine to take the lead before bogeying three of the next four holes.
However, on No. 18 the Mandeville, La., native, had a chance at eagle — and a share of the lead at the time — but came up about three inches short. Looper was one of five golfers — including Hendrix and Jeong — who stepped onto the 18th green with a legitimate shot of taking the lead.
Green, the 54-hole leader, saw his second putt on the final hole lip out to keep him out of the playoff. He was the only golfer to shoot four sub-70 rounds during the tournament.
Travis Hampshire also three putted the final hole to finish 12-under for the tournament.
Hendrix and Jeong, who played together in the penultimate grouping, both teed off of No. 18 in regulation at 4-under on the day. Jeong faced an easy two putt situation but Hendrix was forced to chip it on after missing the green with his approach, far left of the green. Left with a 5-foot putt, he was able to sink the birdie putt and the pair both went to 5-under 67 on the day.
With a tournament purse of $150,000, Hendrix walked away with a $22,000 share for the victory.
“Fortunately, I had enough green to work with,” Hendrix said. “I didn’t have the best number, as far as a comfortable club… but I was able to hit a great chip shot.”
Leaderboard
Cutter Creek Classic
At Cutter Creek Golf Club, Snow Hill
Purse: $150,000
Yardage: 7,280
Par: 72
Final round
T1. Matt Hendrix* 70-66-71-67—274 -14
T1. Jin Jeong 69-71-67-67—274 -14
3. Hunter Green 69-68-69-69—275 -13
T4. Ken Looper 69-70-70-67—276 -12
T4. Travis Hampshire 69-69-70-68—277 -12
T6. Ben Silverman 71-68-70-68—277 -11
T6. Chris Wolfe 69-70-70-68—277 -11
T6. Jesse Hutchins 68-69-71-69—277 -11
T6. Paul Apyan 72-68-67-70—277 -11
10. Four others finished at -10
*—Won in playoff