A streak of pars started the final round for Eric Steger of
Noblesville during the IGA Public Links, but he eventually broke through at the
sixth hole and never looked back. “I started slow, with no birdies until hole
6, but I stayed patient and avoided making bogeys,” said Steger. He made six
birdies the remainder of the round for a 65 to add to his first round 67 and capture
his first Public Links championship. “The end was pressure packed,” said
Steger. “I was in the same position towards the end of the Indianapolis Open,
but this time I took it one shot at a time and it worked out.”
At the E-Z-GO Indianapolis Open May 18-19, where only the
winner Todd Palmer finished below par, Steger found himself in a position to
vie for the title after three birdies in his first four holes the final day. But
he proceeded to card six bogeys including holes 15 through 17 to fall to ninth
place.
This time he stayed tough and avoided getting caught up in
the leaderboard, which fared well for the Ball State University
student-athlete. “I knew coming out here I would have to put up a low number,”
he explained. Not only was he four shots down from the leader Brooks Snyder
after the first round, but he knew scores could go low because of Snyder’s first
day new course record 63. Past champion and Player of the Year Randy Nichols of
Brookville went low and fired a 65 in the second round to finish as runner-up.