The Western Golf Association sending over 840 caddies to college, on the fairway to 1,000 within 5 years. WGAESF.Com. The LPGA UL International Crown coming July 19-24 in 2016 to Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, next summers big golf event.         ______________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy. (Dateline Sugar Grove IL.)

2015 Western Amateur at Rich Harvest Farms on Saturday August 8, 2015. Charles Cherney Photography

With the kind of match it was, it shouldn’t have ended this way. But when it did Dawson Armstrong won it in dramatic fashion, on the 20th hole. Armstrong’s opponent Aaron Wise of California who plays for the Oregon Ducks of the PAC-12 had been applying the pressure after taking a 1 UP lead on the 13th hole of a back and forth match.

Wise bombed his drive almost reaching the green, while Dawson played it safe and was almost 100 yards behind on the par 4 hole. Dawson hit an approach that was a keeper, in near the flag stick, Wise hit an approach shot from a bad angle that needed 60 yards, it ended up on the bunker. Match All-Square.

With the drives of both players finding the right side trees, Wise played first and uses a corridor between the trees and end up in a green side bunker. Armstrong pitched out to the fairway, but when he had a chance to win the hole, Wise missed a putt and things stayed All-Square.

The Par 3 16th saw Armstrong miss the green, Wise left himself a birdie putt. Armstrong’s blast from the rough gave him a three foot putt, after Wise missed his putt it was on to 17 still All-Square.

Wise bombed it again past Armstrong, but Armstrong found the back of the green from 210, Wise missed right in a green side bunker. But Armstrong’s putt across the fringe got hung up, and he was left a long par putt. Wise hit his bunker shot to a foot, and won the hole after Armstrong missed his par putt.

Now 1 UP on 18 Wise hit his drive down the fairway and Armstrong did as well, but left his approach on the par 5 just short of the green. Wise found the green but the back end of it. After Armstrong almost holed a putt from off the green, Wise’s putt for the win was left well short. His birdie putt that still would have won him the title slid past leaving him with a par. Armstrong made his short birdie putt and it was onto hole 19.

Both players missed birdie putts in the range of 25-30 feet, before two pars took everyone onto the 20th hole a dogleg right par 5. After great drives by both players, Wise went for the green in two and left himself a 20 foot putt after getting home. Armstrong after sitting on the ground in the fairway for about 4-5 minutes from stomach cramps, got up and hit a great looking shot, but it came up short of the green, just barely clearing the pond, but finding a bunker.

With Wise now in much better position, Armstrong walked slowly down to his ball with his stomach bothering him again. But he settled in and released a bunker shot, that bounced once, then twice and spun into cup after slamming off the flagstick, which brought cheers from the gallery. Wise now needed to make his eagle putt to halve the hole, but it slid by the left edge and Armstrong had won the 113th Western Amateur.

Click hear to hear interviews with champion Dawson Armstrong and runner-up Aaron Wise.

The morning Semi-Finals saw Medalist Robbie Shelton of Alabama lose 2 & 1 to Armstrong, when a late rally fell short. Wise defeated fellow Pac-12 golfer Jake Knapp of UCLA 4 & 2 after making birdies on 5 of the first-seven holes to start the match.

“I enjoyed the week and my play was great,” said Shelton. “I’m real excited for the U.S. Amateur, I’m going to see if I can win it.”

The 2016 Western Amateur will be played at the Knollwood Club in Lake Forest, Armstrong hopes to defend his title at Knollwood.