(NJSGA)
BEDMINSTER, N.J. (Sept. 13, 2013) — Trevor Randolph of Arcola said it was his best putting display of the summer. And it was a lot of everything else as well.
Playing 5-under-par over 16 holes, Randolph, 40, of Wyckoff, defeated former champion Mike Deo of Black Oak, 3 and 2, to win the 30th NJSGA Mid-Amateur Championship on Friday, September 13, at Trump National’s Old Course in Bedminster.
Randolph and Deo, a Berkeley Heights resident, played just five holes on Friday to wrap up the match that had been suspended by lightning and rain at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The final was a match up of Monday’s qualifying co-medalists as both Randolph and Deo, 36, shot 2-under-par 70 that day.
Randolph, the runner-up at the Met Amateur last month to Pat Wilson of Panther Valley, unleashed a birdie barrage at the field. Including Monday’s qualifier and four subsequent matches, Randolph accumulated an amazing 25 birdies for the week.
“I really feel like I went out and won it,” said Randolph, a native of Bethesda, Md., who works in New York. “I played my game and let things flow and it worked out for me.”
Randolph played golf at Rice University after attending St. Alban’s School in Washington, D.C.
He played in a U.S. Junior in 1990 and U.S. Amateurs in 1992 and ’97. He also competed in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Conway Farms in Illinois, where the BMW Championship is being contested this weekend.
Taking time out from competitive golf to raise a family that includes three boys under the age of 10, he still managed to win four consecutive club championships at esteemed Congressional Country Club in Maryland. He won his fourth this past Labor Day weekend.
“Trevor played consistent golf, even when he was in trouble,” said Deo, a University of Maryland graduate who won the Mid-Amateur in 2007 and the State Amateur in 2008. “He really didn’t make any mistakes. He kept it in the fairway. My hat’s off to him. If I gave it away, I’d be upset. He went out and won it.”
Randolph held a commanding lead of 3-up when play was suspended on the 11th green on Thursday. Both players were on the green at the par-4 11th hole, Randolph was facing a 20-foot birdie putt and Deo a 12-foot putt for bogey.
“On Thursday against Mike, I don’t think I missed a green or a fairway. My ball-striking was great,” Randolph said
As play resumed early Friday morning, Deo conceded the birdie to Randolph, who took a 4-up lead onto the tee at the par-4 12th hole. Immediately, Deo found trouble off the tee, and lost a ball to a bramble patch on the right of the fairway. Randolph won that hole with a par to go 5 up with six to play.
Deo rallied by winning the par-4 13th, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt to move it to a 4-up lead for Randolph.
Deo was on the verge of cutting into the lead again on the par-3 14th hole. Deo got up and down for par, but Randolph, whose tee shot was short of the green still needed to sink a 20-foot putt for par after a short pitch shot. Randolph drained that putt for a halve and held his 4-up advantage to go dormie.
“My putt on 14 was key. I needed that 20-footer for a par on top of his par. It stopped his momentum,” Randolph said. “Mike played great, too. He was under par. I know he’s won a bunch of tournaments.”
Deo won the par-5 15th with a par to cut it to a 3-up lead for Randolph, who found two bunkers along the right side of the fairway.
On the par-3 16th hole, Deo needed a 10-foot uphill putt for birdie to continue the match, but left it just off the right edge. Randolph sank a four-foot par putt for a halve and the 3 and 2 triumph.
“Since I got a restart in my career, this tournament has been at the top of my list,” Randolph said. “I’ve been looking forward to it and practicing for it. It’s good to be rewarded for all my hard work.”
Randolph plans on being a fixture in the state in the near future.
“My goal for next year is to play in the USGA State Team Championship (for New Jersey), so I will be playing in all the New Jersey events next year and hopefully, you will see a lot more of me.”
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