A near course record at Brickyard Crossing Golf Course earned amateur Aaron Monson of Nineveh the 2009 PGA Indiana Open July 10. “This is a career round I can always go back on and have good, positive memories,” he said. Heading into the final round, his 68-69-73=210 put him in fourth place and seven shots off the lead. With Erich Johnston (a) of Fort Wayne and Chris Baker of Brownstown at least six shots ahead of the rest of the competition, there was reason to believe the final round was just a two-man race. But Monson’s final day 32-31=63 proved everyone wrong and earned him the distinguished honor of only the second amateur to win the Open since 1970. “That’s unbelievable. It’s been an awesome day and week,” responded Monson when told of the stat. Lee Williamson took the title as an amateur in 2001.
Johnston began the day as the leader at 13 under, with Baker just one shot behind, but both carded 71 to finish second and third. Both players were simply unable to make enough birdies at the end to challenge Monson’s run. “Everyone played well, I just had enough birdies and enough luck,” said Monson. He opened with a birdie on one, and quickly added another at hole 3 before really closing the gap with three consecutive birdies on holes 8, 9 and 10. “My goal was 65, so at least I would give myself a chance. But I told myself later not to get satisfied with the round and to keep going. I made some career shots and career putts today.” Once he birdied the par-5 12th hole, he started to believe he had a chance. “After I birdied the par-5 12th, I looked at the board and realized I was only two down and I thought I had a chance,” he said.
At the par-3 17th, Johnston shared the lead with Monson at 15 under. Johnston’s tee shot missed the green and the up and down attempt didn’t drop, leaving him with a must-birdie finishing hole because of Monson’s par at 18. “I found out Johnston bogeyed as I walked up to the green, and then I had a stress free par putt,” said Monson. With only two birdies made all day at 18, it was playing as the most difficult on the course. Johnston’s approach from the rough left him with a pressure-packed 50-foot birdie putt to force a playoff, which he only missed by mere inches in front of a screaming crowd.
Monson was hiding behind the scoring tent and couldn’t watch Johnston putt, but his caddie Tarik Abdalla patted him on the back to congratulate him and signal his victory. At age 20, and a sophomore at University of Indianapolis, he has a lot of golf ahead of him, and a great tournament to look back on.