Hunter Hamrick Wins Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic
11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Nov. 24, 2009
EL PASO, Texas - Alabama sophomore Hunter Hamrick defeated Oklahoma State's Morgan Hoffman in a playoff to claim medalist honors at the prestigious Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic on Tuesday at the par-71, 6,837-yard El Paso Country Club.
Hamrick shot a 69 (-2) in the final round and sank a birdie on the 18th hole to force the playoff. The Alabama sophomore trailed Hoffman by one stroke and Wichita State's Dustin Garza by two strokes heading to the 18th, but after a par by Hoffman and a double-bogey by Garza, Hamrick found himself in a playoff with a chance to win.
Hamrick entered the final round tied for second with Hoffman, two shots behind Garza. He fired five birdies on the day and finished 11-under-par (202) through 54 holes, which was a career-low.
"The Western Refining is one of the most prestigious tournaments in all of college golf," Alabama head coach Jay Seawell said following Hamrick's win on Tuesday. "All of the greats have won this event, including Tiger Woods. To win this tournament is a big deal. It really shows how good Hunter Hamrick is, and good he can be."
The Western Refining College All-American Golf Classic features one of the toughest fields in college golf. The event has rated as the No. 1 tournament in the Golfweek/Sagarin Index each of the past five years and features numerous All-Americans from last season.
Hamrick's opponent in the playoff, Hoffman, won the 2009 Phil Mickelson Award, which goes to the nation's most outstanding freshman.
Hamrick was named a PING honorable mention All-American after his freshman season and has picked up where he left off this fall. He started all four events for the Tide in the fall and notched three top-20 finishes, including his second career tournament title at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate.
Past winners of the Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic include successful PGA professionals like David Duval (1991), Davis Love III (1984) and Tiger Woods (1995). Alabama alum Jerry Pate won the title in 1974.
