MIDWAY — The second time around was just as sweet for Daniel Summerhays.
Proving that his 2000 title was no fluke, the 17-year-old Summerhays captured his second straight Men's State Amateur title Sunday afternoon with a 6 and 5 victory over Ryan Job.
A year earlier, some folks may have passed off his victory as a one-time aberration since it came at his home course, Oakridge Country Club, and because he was too young to know the magnitude of his accomplishment.
However, this year's win at Wasatch Mountain State Park Golf Course was even more impressive, especially considering the players Summerhays had to beat to repeat.
He began with a win over former champion Jason Wight and defeated University of Utah golfer Luke Swilor in the second round for the second straight year. Then in the quarterfinals he had to knock off his older brother, Boyd, and followed that with a win over former U.S Junior Amateur champion Scott Hailes.
On Sunday he crushed one of the state's top amateurs in Job, a former Salt Lake City Amateur champ, who has won numerous golf events around the state since retiring from professional baseball. Afterwards, Summerhays acted just as shy and starry-eyed as he had a year earlier with he won by the same 6 and 5 margin over Billy Harvey.
"It's just about the same as the first, they're both just as special," said Summerhays. "I feel undeserving of it. Stuff like this doesn't happen to 17-year-olds. It's still shocking to win the State Amateur. I'm just very grateful for everything that worked out perfect for me this week."
Young Summerhays gave much of the credit for his win to his father, Lynn, who was with him every step of the way for the second straight year, working as a his caddy and coach.
The elder Summerhays, who made it to the State Am semifinals himself as a 17-year-old in 1966, lined up putts for his son and constantly talked to Daniel, who listened with little expression and few words of his own. Sometimes Lynn would give advice on where to hit a shots and other times he'd offer positive feedback, saying things like, "That was a good shot — I really liked the way you hit it."
Lynn acknowledges he can't always be there to help his son on the golf course and is gradually backing off as his son gets more experienced. Daniel doesn't begrudge his father's involvement at all.
"We're a great team," he said. "It's nice having dad there giving me advice. We're together as one on the golf course."
As well as Summerhays played Sunday — 3-under-par on the day — he was fortunate to pick up several hole wins when Job missed short putts.
After winning two extra-hole matches the day before, Job had expressed a lack of confidence in his putting when he said, "Hopefully I can bring my putting game tomorrow."
Unfortunately, he didn't.
"I actually hit the ball well, but I putted awful," said Job. "I set myself up with three- and four-footers, but I could not get them to go in all day."
Job got off to a quick start by making a 15-foot birdie at No. 1 on the Mountain Course and going 2 up at the third when Summerhays made bogey. However, Summerhays came back to win the fourth and evened the match with a birdie at No. 8. Summerhays went ahead for good at No. 12 and pushed the advantage to two with a birdie at No. 16.
Job called the par-3 17th a "turning point" when he missed a three-foot putt to win the hole and cut the margin to one. He went into the lunch break down two and quickly lost ground in the afternoon round.
On hole No. 1 of the Lake Course, Summerhays hit the shot of the day, a splendid 7-iron from 188 yards to within five feet and sank the eagle putt. Then after a 15-minute lightning delay, Summerhays won the next hole, when Job went from one pine tree to another and bogeyed.
Now the margin was four and Job's putting woes continued when he missed a 2-footer at No. 4 and a 3-footer at No. 6 to fall six holes down. A Summerhays birdie putt at No. 7 increased the margin to 7 up before Job finally won a hole at the par-5 9th with a perfect drive around the corner that resulted in a birdie.
After that it was just a matter of time. The two finalists halved the next three holes and at the par-3 13th, Job gave one last valiant try, nearly holing a 75-foot birdie putt. But when Summerhays hit his birdie try from 15 feet within a foot, it was all over.
Now the question is what Summerhays will do for an encore. Next year he'll be 18 and most likely an even better golfer, which must be disheartening to other amateurs in the state. Utah Golf Association executive director Joe Watts even raised the possibility of Summerhays challenging Billy Korns record of six State Am titles between 1941 and 1951. It's possible, although Summerhays plans to go on an LDS mission in two years and most likely will pursue a professional career after college.
As for college, Oklahoma State, where Daniel's brother Boyd played, and BYU, where his brother David played, are possibilities, although Boyd's early departure from OSU could influence his younger brother. Daniel said he likely won't make a decision on college until the fall.
Summerhays will spend the rest of the summer playing in tournaments all over the country. This week he plays in a junior event in Chattanooga, Tenn., then it's off to San Antonio for the U.S. Junior Amateur and up to Billings, Mont., for the Jr. America's Cup. He'll come back to Utah to try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur and then head to Detroit for another national junior event. If he qualifies for the U.S. Am, he'll play there and by that time it will be time for his senior year at Davis High School.
STATE AM NOTES: Next year's State Am will be played at Hidden Valley Country Club July 17-21 . . . The brief delay for lightning was the first delay in a State Am final since 1992, when torrential rain halted play for more than an hour . . . According to his father, Lynn, Daniel was 33-under par for eight rounds at the State Am this week . . . Job's 11-year-old son, Denny, will compete in a junior golf tournament in Georgia this week.
E-MAIL: sor@desnews.com