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THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Flashing back one year to the Knollwood Club home of the 114th Western Amateur. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

History was made at the 115th Western Amateur Championship, as the championship match went on for 22 holes, the longest final match ever.

When the smoke and dust settled, only days after the flood waters receded, Norman Xiong from Canyon Lake California and a member of the University of Oregon Ducks golf team, had survived against Doc Redman from Raleigh North Carolina and a member of the Clemson Tigers golf team.

Xiong started off hot and had a 4 up lead at the turn, he was 3 up after 15, and then hung on for dear life in one of the great final matches in Western Amateur history. It was the first time since 2015 at Rich Harvest Farms the final match had gone extra holes, and the 13th time extra holes were needed in the championship match in the history of the Western Amateur.

“I tried to have some fun and stay in the moment,” said Xiong. “I played one hole at a time.” The Sophomore at Oregon became the 25th medalist to win the tournament, and he was is the first to do so since Chris Williams in 2012 at Exmoor.

2017 Western Amateur at Skokie Golf Club in Glencoe IL on Saturday August 5, 2017
(WGA/Charles Cherney)

Redman’s rally almost came full circle on the 18th hole, where he had a 20 foot birdie putt to win the title. But the putt lipped out and the match moved on to the 19th hole. On the 19th hole (hole 1 at Skokie) it was Xiong who saw his potential winning putt lip out.

Finally on the 22nd hole, Redman missed the green and could not get up and down to save par and extend the match, after Xiong two putted from 12 feet.

“I wanted to stick to what I’d been doing, to see if I could make some birdies,” said Redman. “There was nothing crazy going on in my head.”

It did take a crazy comeback by Redman winning holes 11, 15,16, and 17 to make the match All-Square headed to 18. After Xiong won four of the first five holes, many in the gallery thought match might be headed for a quick 6&5 ending. But that was not to be.

In the semi-finals Xiong defeated Derek Bard 2&1 after trailing on the front nine 2 Dn. Redman broke open a tight match with Cameron Champ on the back nine to win 3&2. Xiong also called Skokie Country Club one of the five best golf courses he has ever played.

Sunset Ridge will host the Western Amateur in 2018, then the championship returns to Point O’Woods in Michigan in 2019, and then it’s off to Indiana and Crooked Stick Golf Club in 2020, and the Glen View Club in 2021.