THE 2020 Western Amateur Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel Indiana, designed by World Golf Hall of Fame designer Pete Dye. The par 3, 6th hole.    ______________________________________________________________________

2020 Western Amateur Medalist Angus Flanagan of England (L), with WGA President Kevin Buggy at Crooked Stick.

Rounds 3 & 4 of the Western Amateur at Crooked Stick Golf Club, were played in conditions it’s designer Pete Dye would have loved.

It rained most of the day, and rained harder as the 6 for 1 playoff took place at dinner time.

But medalist Angus Flanagan who resides in England, when he is not playing on the University of Minnesota golf team, says the cooler rainy weather was right up his alley. “The other players in my group all started putting on the rain pants and shirts when the drops started falling. I just played in my golf shirt and kept my arms free to swing, and it paid off.”

With the help of a late bogey by Sam Bennett of Texas and Texas AM University, it was Flanagan who at 12 under par became the tournament medalist. But Bennett wasn’t too concerned adding,” the Western Amateur champion isn’t decided on Thursday.”

Flanagan warmed up for the Western Amateur by playing on the PGA Tour last week playing in the 3M Open, since he earned a sponsors exemption by winning the Minnesota State Open. Flanagan missed the cut by six shots with a pair of 73’s (+4). this week he has made two cuts and now has to win 4 matches.

Click here to hear Interviews with medalist Angus Flanagan and runner-up Sam Bennett.

The #2 rated amateur in the world Ricky Castillo from Yorba Linda California is the hunt after finishing at 7 under par, and he will be the #4 seed in the match play round of the Sweet Sixteen.

There was some excitement for Maxwell (Max) Moldovan of Uniontown Ohio, a member of the Ohio State golf team, and former AJGA player of the year. Moldovan made a Hole-In-One on the par 3 13th hole. Moldovan’s ace was from 198 yards with 6-Iron, but never saw the ball go in the hole. While walking up the cart path on the way to the green, he was approached by a rules official. The official asked Moldovan if he hit the second shot in his group, and Moldovan answered yes. Then the official told him he would not need his putter, his ball was in the cup.

Moldovan said,” then we all went crazy.”

What else was crazy was watching the final 16 players, try to assemble under Covid-19 social distancing guidelines for the sweet sixteen photo. At least the rain stopped for the picture. Match play will see the round of 16 in the morning, and the quarterfinals in the afternoon. Before four players advance to Saturday’s semi-finals and championship match.