Corbin Mills wins a place in PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage with his win at 2011 Belfair Players Amateur
Corbin Mills of the Clemson University won the 2011 Belfair Players Amateur on Sunday, July 10, with a comprehensive wire-to-wire victory at the Hilton Head in South Carolina.
Corbin outranked some 75 of the top Amateur players who had gathered from all over the world to post his second amateur title with a final round score of 72. He finished 12-under for an aggregate, staying one shot ahead of the rest of the field.
Corbin has been leading the tournament from day one and never let the field make its move. Posting rounds of 69-68-72, Corbin won the coveted title and has now gained an entry into the 2012 PGA TOUR RBC Heritage at Hilton Head’s Harbour Town Links. Being
his second amateur win, Corbin had won the season opener, the US Amateur Public Links and has already earned a playing exemption for the next year’s Masters.
A single shot behind the leader, Curtis Thompson of LSU and Patrick Rodgers of Avon, IN finished for the second spot with their aggregate of 11-under. Some of the top ranking Australian players posted disappointing finishes, with Matt Stieger finishing for
a joint 31st alongside Ryan McCarthy. Todd Sinnot was the only high ranking Aussie player who posted a Top-10 finish with a joint ninth.
“I was happy with the way I came back from my starts,” said Sinnott, who had strong finishes at the Mandurah Easter Amateur and the Riversdale Cup this Australian season.
The player added, “My ball striking was solid, although I struggled off the tee at times. These events are a challenge as the field is so strong compared to what we play back in Australia. I would say that consistent approach shots and solid putting helped
me to stay par or better for this tournament. I’m pleased with the result and are looking forward to next week at the Southern Amateur.”
Most of the players who finished in the Top-10 and Top-20 were the homegrown American players who took advantage of the home course and crowd. Kalem Richardson, another of the shining Aussie, started to close in on Mills trailing by three shots at one stage,
but succumbed to late bogeys at the last five holes to fall behind.
The amateur circuit will move to the Innisbrook Golf Club at Palm Harbor, Florida for the South Amateur starting from July, 12.
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