21 YEAR OLD ETHAN TRACY OF HILLIARD OH, AND MEMBER OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS GOLF TEAM WINS THE WESTERN AMATEUR
AT NORTHSHORE COUNTRY CLUB.

It was a match that ended like all the great ones do, with the last putt
on the last hole or the 18th green which was the case.

Ethan Tracy entered the championship match ranked #55, while Patrick
Cantlay was #1. That didn't bother Tracy who looked at Cantlay as "just
another player" he had to play in route to winning. Cantlay will go on to
the US Amateur at Erin Hills, Tracy will sit and wait as a first alternate
to get in.

Cantlay while go on to play for the United States this fall as a member
of the Walker Cup Team. Tracy is just a hopeful to be on the team, but
Captain Jim Holtgrieve was in attendance to see Tracy win. Maybe now
Tracy is part of the picture. Holtgrieve will be announcing four more
players to be on the team before the weekend is out.


THE 18TH GREEN AND CLUBHOUSE AT NORTHSHORE COUNTRY CLUB IN GLENVIEW,
THE FLAGSTICK SITS ON ALMOST THE EXACT SPOT WHERE ETHAN TRACY KNOCKED
IN A 10 FOOT WINNING PUTT, TO DEFEAT PATRICK CANTLAY AND WIN THE WGA-AM.
BY A SCORE OF 1 UP.

Both players won their semi-final match 1 UP on Saturday morning. Cantlay a
member of the UCLA golf team, beat rival USC Trojan Jeffery Kang. Tracy beat
Cheng-Tsung Pan member of the University of Washington golf team.

The championship started with Cantlay making birdie on the first hole to go
1 UP, with the next two holes going even. On the fourth hole Tracy made par
and Cantlay made bogey and the match was squared.

It was Tracy that made birdie to take the lead, but Cantlay made birdie on
on the 8th and match was all-sqaure again. The 10th hole saw Tracy go
back on top with a par, when Cantlay missed his par putt.

The 11th hole saw Cantlay drain a 40 foot putt for birdie and a chance
to tie, but Tracy rolled in a 20 footer of his to match birdies and keep a
1 UP lead.

Cantlay's 12 foot birdie on the 13th hole made the match All-Square again,
but Tracy regained the lead one hole later with another birdie. Both
players made par on 14, both made birdie on 15, then both made par's
on 16 and 17 setting the scene for the 18th hole.

Tracy hit first and pulled his drive left into the trees, leaving himself a
lie in front of tree that would have had former TV commentator and course
reporter Bob Rosburg going crazy. Tracy had to pitch out and was still
a few yards behind Cantlay who had found the fairway.

Then Tracy attacked the pin, leaving it 10 feet left of the hole. Cantlay left
his about 12 feet short and right of the flag. Cantlay putted first and just
missed on the right edge, then Tracy calmly stepped up and drained
what he called "a 10 footer that broke a cup and half left to right." Making
the winning score 1 UP.

TO HEAR INTERVIEWS WITH (FIRST) RUNNER UP PATRICK CANTLAY,
AND THEN WESTERN AM CHAMPION ETHAN TRACY CLICK HERE:

Download | Duration: 00:10:22

With that Tracy was the 109th Western Open Champion, besides his
gold medal for winning. Tracy was presented an autographed program
of this years championship, by Jack Nicklaus who won the Western
Amateur at the New Orleans Country Club 50 years ago.

Next years Western Amateur Championship will be held at Exmoor
Country Club in Highland Park in early August. A gallery of over
500 patrons followed the championship match on Saturday at
NSCC.
 
  THE 418 YARD  PAR 4 6TH HOLE AT NORTHSHORE COUNTRY CLUB IN GLENVIEW