Leader Sean Rowen’s final round of 115th Indiana Amateur Championship was anything but boring. The wire-to-wire Champion began the day with an eagle on the par-5, 1st and never looked back. Carding two double bogeys, three birdies and three bogeys in his final 18 holes, Rowen posted a 2-over-par, 73 and grabbed his first State Am title at Otter Creek GC in Columbus.
“Today was a unique situation,” said Rowen, the 2014 IGA John K. David Player of the Year. “I’ve won golf tournaments before but never something like this. This is such a meaningful event to me and I was definitely nervous at times.”
Due to inclement weather, leaders did not tee off until 3:30 this afternoon. The staff at Otter Creek did an awesome job getting the course ready after a six hour rain delay. The par-4, 11th was played as a par-3 today due to a soaked fairway, making the overall course par 71.
Rowen of Greenwood, Ind. began the day with a five shot lead over Clark Tiller of Zionsville. As the day progressed Rowen saw his lead slowly slip away. It was Andrew Havill of Carmel playing in a group ahead, who proved to be his biggest competition of the day. Havill made three birdies in a row on holes 10, 11 and 12 to get within three shots of the lead.
On the par-3, 13th Rowen three-putted for bogey and Havill got within two.
On the par-5, 14th Havill’s approach shot found the trees in the left rough and he failed to get up-and-down for birdie. Rowen reached the green in two and easily two-putted to get back to 7-under-par, and regain his three shot lead.
“For some reason the more birdies Andrew made, the calmer I got,” Rowen said. “It kept me more in the moment and made me focus on each shot at hand.”
After a bogey on 16 for Rowen and a clutch birdie conversion on 17 for Havill, the leaders headed to the par-5, 18th just one stroke apart.
“My game plan was to make him make birdie,” Rowen said. “I took a 3-wood off the tee and never thought I could reach the bunker, but ended up right in the middle of it. That was just the kind of day it was. I was 153 yards and saw Havill hit his approach shot to the back of the green and two-putt for par. At that point, I knew I just needed to make par. I hit an 8-iron to about thirty feet and managed to two-putt. That was the best moment in my golf career, and I have to admit I was nervous over that four footer for par."
At 41 years-old, Rowen is the first post-college golfer to win the State Am since 43 year-old Jeff Smith in 2006.
“Being able to compete at this level makes me feel like I’ve still got it,” Rowen said. “These college players compete in tournaments weekly and I haven’t played in an event in about eight weeks. Playing with Andrew and Rylan (Porter) yesterday and Clark and Zach today, I have to say 'props to them.' They all have such bright golf futures ahead.”
Rowen’s dad Jim is an IGA Senior Amateur Champion and he was out there watching Sean all week along with his son Drew. Having them there made this win even more special for Rowen.
“This win is incredibly special,” Rowen said. “Golf has always been such a big part of our family. My son Drew won a junior event last week. My dad is a Senior Amateur Champion. This is my biggest win emotionally. Like my son, I grew up playing in Indiana Junior Golf events and as an amateur golfer, this is the event that you want to win. It’s a special one and I am so honored.”
Havill also had a tremendous tournament, finishing at 5-under-par with the help of his hole-in-one on the par-3, 8th on day two.
“It was into the wind, blowing a little left to right and I hit a choke down 9-iron,” said Havill, a rising junior at Indianapolis. “It hovered in the air for a second and then the wind grabbed it and it rolled right towards the cup. I yelled ‘go in’ and it did!”
That was Havill’s first ever ace and today was his first runner-up in an Indiana major event. His dad Greg was on the bag this week and Havill says he definitely contributed to his 4-under-par, 67 today.
“I knew Sean wasn’t going to let up today because he is a tremendous player,” Havill said. “Today was great for me even though the outcome wasn’t exactly how I had hoped. It was a great experience having my dad out there with me,” Havill added. “He knows my game better than I do and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to have by my side.”
Graham McAree of the University of Indianapolis posted a 3-under-par, 68 today and finished in third at 1-under-par.