Werenski holds on for Porter Cup win
Richard Werenski
LEWISTON, N.Y. (July 21, 2012) -- Denny McCarthy and Patrick Rodgers tried their best to make a run at the lead, but Georgia Tech junior Richy Werenski had been too good all week not to finish the job at the Porter Cup.
Werenski, who took command with a second-round 62, led by four shots going into the final round at Niagara Falls Country Club. He put it on cruise control in Saturday's final round, shooting 2-under 68 and winning by two shots over McCarthy (65), a Virginia sophomore, and four over Rogers (66), a Stanford sophomore.
Werenski notched birdies on Nos. 3, 9 and 10 then made pars on seven of the last eight holes, the lone exception being a bogey on the par-4 14th.
Werenski had finished a disappointing T-41 at last week's Players Amateur, but thought things were coming around in his game. He was right.
"Honestly, it's not like I'm trying to do anything different," Werenski told The Buffalo News before the final round. "I've just been working really hard on my game. Sometimes it just clicks. It's kind of clicking right now.
"I'm just really confident. I feel that no matter where I am, I can hit the next one pretty good.
Alabama sophomore Justin Thomas, the consensus national player of the year as a freshman, started Saturday as the closest competitor to Werenski at 11 under but struggled to a 6-over 76 and fell to T-15.
ABOUT THE
Porter Cup
One of the premier amateur events in the
nation, this 72-hole stroke play invitational has
lots of extra activities that give this event a special
flavor. The winning player receives a green blazer, as
well as an invitation to the Master of the Amateurs
tournament in Melbourne, Australia. Pre-tournament
qualifying is a few weeks prior to the
event and approximately five spots are available.
Starting in 2023, the men's and women's
Porter Cup championships are run concurrently with
54 players in each field and alternating
tee times. It's been exciting seeing the top players in each division in final pairings on the par-3 18th hole at Niagara Falls CC, with large galleries always appreciative of the rising talent.
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