Amateur Russell Henley takes down Stadion Classic at Nationwide Tour
After Ted Potter Jr.’s stunning win at the South Georgia Classic, it was perhaps the right time for Russell Henley, a University of Georgia Senior and an amateur, to win at the Stadion Classic on the Nationwide Tour.
The tour is still absorbing some heavy jerks coming from the budding generation of young golfers, who have taken the tour by storm. Henley, who was also the overnight leader along with Troy Kelly, scored a three-under, 68, two strokes ahead of Kelly to become
only the second amateur to win a tournament on Nationwide after BYU standout, Daniel Summerhays.
Summerhays had won in the 2007 Nationwide Children’s Invitational during his time as a senior at the University of Georgia.
"I can't even feel my arms", said Henley. "I was nervous all day. I don't know how long it will take to sink in, eight months, nine months, a couple days, I don't know, I've never done this before".
Henley’s win is comparatively all the more logical, as the 22-year-old has been playing on the same course for years and knew the course like the back of his hand. Opening his day with a surprise bogey, he quickly took control of his game and birdied the
two, four and six to regain the lead from Kelly. He pulled a dazzling birdie at Par-4, 4th all the way from 50 feet and again on the 15th with a 15 foot birdie putt to gain a comprehensive lead of two shots, which lasted all the way.
“Everyone was asking me about making the cut this week but I've been telling people I was playing to win", said Henley, who was the low amateur (T16) at last year's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. "You play a lot of golf tournaments that you don't win but just
because I'm an amateur doesn't mean I can't win".
Henley was playing in the tournament on sponsor’s exemption and won’t be able to collect the winner’s prize share of $99,000. The first prize money will now go to the runner’s up Kelly. But Henley has done well for him to gain a Nationwide Tour playing status
for the rest of 2011, provided he applies for the same in the next 60 days.
The young Georgian has no plans of turning pro in the near future and is eager to play a few more tournaments on the Amateur Tour. His summer amateur schedule includes Palmer Cup, Northeast Amateur, Southern Amateur, Porter Cup, Western Amateur, U.S. Amateur
and finally the Walker Cup in September.
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