Tommy Philpot told his friend Nolan Potter that if he shot a 68 in the second round of the Lake-Porter Classic, he’d win.
Philpot, a junior at Lake Central, did even better, shooting a 5-under-par 67 at Palmira Golf Club on Sunday. He finished 2-under for the 36-hole tournament.
He didn’t just win.
It was a rout.
Philpot finished three strokes ahead of Logan Lucas. Potter finished third at 5-over.
It was a day that Philpot won’t forget.
“That was sweet,” he said. “I’m extremely happy with my score today.”
Philpot played almost the perfect round.
He made one mistake — a three-putt on No. 10 for his only bogey.
He had six birdies. Two of them came after a rain delay of about an hour that turned the course mushy.
Philpot, who plays at Palmira, knew he had the lead when he returned from the clubhouse.
Valparaiso’s Mark Civanich and former Lake Central golfer Andy Hegan started the day tied for the lead at 1-under, but they faltered on the front nine. Both shot a 3-over 38. That put Philpot in the driver’s seat.
Philpot was 2-under on the front nine and then made birdies at Nos. 11 and 12 after his bogey.
On No. 14, a par-5 over the water, Philpot returned after the long break to drain a 30-foot putt for birdie.
That really got his adrenaline going.
“I really wasn’t expecting to make that,” he said. “I just wanted to get it close for par.”
It got even better for Philpot. On No. 17, an uphill par-5 that plays around 575 yards, Philpot knocked his third shot 44 yards past the green.
He had a downhill chip to the pin from an elevated lie. He hit the chip to about 10 feet and then made par.
Philpot finished in style, making a birdie on No. 18, a par-3 over the water. His putt was about 15 feet.
Philpot shot a 66 once at Palmira, but he wasn’t playing from the championship tees.
This, he said, qualifies as his best competitive round.
On Saturday, Philpot started slow, going 6-over after his first five holes.
He played the final 30 holes at 8-under.
Last year, Philpot shot 77-82 in the tournament, finishing in 11th place.
“My game has come a long way,” he said.
Lucas, who played at Boone Grove, had a solid round, shooting a 71. He had one bad hole that ruined his chances for the title. He made a nine on No. 12, a par-5. He hit his first drive out of bounds, and his second drive hooked into the hazard that runs along the left side of the hole.
He rallied, though, making eagle on No. 14 after pitching in from a bunker and then finishing with a birdie on No. 18.
Mark Barenie won the senior division by two strokes over Tony Holguin Jr. Barenie was 5-over for the tournament.
