Caden Fioroni of La Jolla saved his best for last.
Fioroni sank a curling 15-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the final hole to capture the Men’s Division of the 12th annual Patriot All-America Championship by one stroke over Ben Lorenz of Peoria, Ariz., on the Gold Course at The Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz.
A junior at UNLV, Fioroni posted a score of 67-71-63—201, 12-under-par, to come from five strokes behind in the final round, while Lorenz, who plays at Oklahoma, was solo second at 66-69-67—202.
Fioroni set the tone for his 63 by holing out from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 second hole ahead of birdies on the next two holes, and after his lone bogey at No. 6, he birdied five of the last seven holes including the last three in a row.
“I have no words right now,” said Fioroni, who also won the 2022 Southern California Amateur Championship and has finished no worse than third in his last six tournaments. “Honestly, I knew I was really behind today and this is the first time I never thought about my score.
“I knew I needed to make as many birdies as I could. I was so much in the zone I didn’t realize until after the round that I shot 8-under. I’m kind of in shock right now; I really don’t know what to say.”
Gabriel Salvanera of Queen Creek, Ariz., shot 69-68-66—203 to tie for third with Stephen Campbell of Richmond, Texas, who finished at 68-65-70—203, Herman Sekne of Norway, who totaled 68-67-68—203, and Connor Jones of Westminster, Colo., who wound up at 67-69-67—203.
Greyson Leach of Rolling Hills Estates was seventh at 70-70-67—207, while Luke Gifford of Boca Raton, Fla., and Pepperdine shot 72-69-67—208 to tie for eighth with Joel Sylven of Sweden, who finished at 70-70-68—208, and John Driscoll of Lake Mary, Fla., who came in at 73-66-69—208.
Defending champion Connor Howe of Ogden, Utah, tied for 11th at 70-70-69—209.
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