Luke Potter of Encinitas defeated Preston Summerhays of Scottsdale, Ariz., 8 and 6, in the scheduled 36-hole match-play final of the inaugural Maridoe Amateur Championship at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.
Potter, a junior at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad who won the 2019 California High School State individual title while leading the Mavericks to the state team championship, put the title away by winning nine of the last 11 holes.
“I just like to work alone on the course,” said Potter, who did not have a caddie and carried his own bag throughout the week as he played a tournament at Maridoe for the fourth time this year. “Maridoe is not that hard of a walk so I thought I could do it. I kept my energy and I did just that.
“Four times a charm for sure. Experience really does matter here and this is probably the best field and so I’m happy to win this one.”
Both finalists have committed to Arizona State.
Potter, who is two months shy of his 17th birthday and became the youngest player to win the Southern California Amateur this summer, won four of five holes early in the morning 18 to take a 3-up lead at the turn.
Summerhays, who won the 2020 Sunnehanna Amateur, rallied to take a 1-up lead by winning four straight holes through No. 13, but Potter pulled even at the break by taking the 18th hole with a birdie.
After Summerhays regained the lead by winning the first hole in the afternoon with a birdie, but Potter won six straight holes while shooting the equivalent of 3-under-par 33 through No. 9 and coasted to the victory.
Potter and Summerhays each played eight rounds in six days to reach the final.
Summerhays defeated stroke-play medalist William Holcomb of Crockett, Texas, with a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole in the semifinals, and got past Benjamin Shipp of Duluth, Ga., in the semifinals, 3 and 2.
Potter beat Jonathan Brightwell of Charlotte, N.C., by winning the 18th hole with a par in the quarterfinals, before downing Ryan Grider of Lewisville, Texas, 5 and 3, in the semifinals.
For complete results, visit https://2020maridoeamateurchampionship.golfgenius.com/pages/6642160352266058232
