Blake Phillips has scored the biggest win of his young career with a barnstorming final round in the prestigious Porter Cup in Buffalo, New York, overnight.
Starting his final round one shot off the lead, Phillips began with steady pars on the opening two holes. He found his rhythm at the par-5 third with a spectacular six iron to just inches for his first birdie of the day.
The momentum carried to the next, where another precise 6-iron approach to four feet left him with a second birdie putt as the Niagara Falls Country Club gallery began to take notice.
Phillips helped himself to a third birdie at the par-4 sixth with a lob wedge to 10 feet before a slight misstep at the seventh, where he failed to get up and down from one of the treacherous bunkers, resulting in his only bogey of the round when his approach found one of the course’s treacherous 90 sand traps.
Undeterred, Phillips bounced back immediately with a superb birdie from 20 feet at the eighth.
Par on the 9th for the outward nine of 32, three under par, meant the tournament was Philip’s for the taking.
The inward nine began with steady pars at the 10th, 11th, and 12th before Phillips struck again at the 13th, stiffing a 3-iron to 5 feet, before jamming home the putt.
He all but sealed the Crown with his sixth birdie of the day on the 17th after another sublime lob wedge to just over 5 feet, which he duly converted. A par on the last was all he needed to sign for a stellar five under 65, and with it, the championship.
Phillips’ four-round total of 272 (eight under par) was an incredible five shots better than his nearest competitor, Reed Greyserman of New Jersey. He becomes the second NSW winner of the prestigious event after Harrison Endycott claimed the title in 2016.
“That was the best putting display I have ever put on,” Phillips beamed after clinching the win.
“It feels really great getting this win,” the relief evident as he claimed his first major international amateur title on foreign soil.
“It’s been a while since the Vic Amateur Victory, and this one means a lot now, knowing I can do it overseas.”
For Phillips, the win also sets him up with a couple more chances to qualify for next month’s US Amateur.
“I’ve got the Monroe Invitational in a few days’ time; we are driving down there tonight,” he smiled.
Rounding out the Blues’ efforts for the week was Coby Carruthers, who finished in 5th place at one under, while Jye Halls was a shot back at even par, tied for 6th.
* Feature Image | Ben Adelberg – Back of the Range
Related Links: Final Scores
