Xuan Luo of China, a freshman at San Jose State, made clutch two birdies down the stretch and they were enough to make him a winner.
Luo carded a score of 69-69—138, six-under-par to beat Leonardo Vieira of San Leandro and Avinash Iver of San Ramon by two strokes in the sixth Amateur Golf.Com Winter Invitational presented by Callaway Golf in windy, rainy conditions on the South Course at Corica Park Golf Club in Alameda.
“It is actually pretty funny,” said Luo, winner of the 2022 CLPGQ Beijing Series. “I have a bad record checking scores on the final day, so I rarely look at scores when I am playing, but today I checked my score after nine holes because I shot 4-under on the front, and I thought I might be close to the lead and when I checked it, I was leading by one.
“And right after that, I made a bogey on 10 and a double bogey on 12, and that was it. No more phone and score checking. But after that, I made a couple of birdies and was able to close it out. So I am glad I did not know where I stood.
“I’m just over the moon right now.”
Luo, who won three events on the Beijing Tianxing Series in the last two years, birdied four of the first seven holes in the final round before adding three more birdies on the back nine, including the decisive two on the 16th and 17th holes.
Vieira finished at 75-65—140, and Iver wound up at 70-70—140, while Justn Hopkins of Danville shot 71-70—141 to tie for fourth with Zach Missigman of Goodyear, Ariz., who totaled 69-72—141.
AJ Fitzgerald of Salinas was sixth at 70-72—142, while Nikolai Friedman of Mill Valley finished at 72-72—144 to tie for seventh with Hartei Grewal of Pleasanton, who wound up at 71-73—144, Ian Shahwan of Yorba Linda, who totaled 69-75—144, and Josh Leiker of Rocklin, who came in at 67-77—144.
Craig Miyamoto of Sacramento claimed the Senior Division title by one stroke with a score of 72-74—146, two-over-par, while Greg Perry of Carmichael was second at 75-72—147.
Barry Soicher of Mill Valley posted a score of 75-81—156 to tie for third with Bob LeDoux of Anderson, who finished at 74-82—156, while Jim Williams of Orinda wound up fifth at 79-78—157.
Tony Ralph of Sunnyvale carded a score of 77-81—158 to tie for sixth with Joe Ghio of Alameda, who totaled 75-83—158, while Michael Wishart of Hillsborough was eighth at 80-80—160, followed by Daniel O’Connor of San Francisco at 83-80—163.
For complete results, visit: https://2023winterinvitational.golfgenius.com/pages/10077301119526141438
