You don’t usually expect a two-shot swing on the last hole when you’re down like that. – Dusty Fielding
PROVO — Going into the 18th hole of Saturday’s Provo Open final round at East Bay Golf Course, defending champion Dusty Fielding was just hoping for the chance to get into a playoff, trailing two-time champion Nick Killpack by one shot.
Instead he got much more than that.
Killpack hit a poor 9-iron shot, landing in a greenside bunker and making bogey after he failed to get up-and-down from the sand. Meanwhile, Fielding put his wedge within 12 feet and sank the birdie putt, giving him an unexpected victory and a check for $3,000.
“You don’t usually expect a two-shot swing on the last hole when you’re down like that,’’ Fielding said. “It was probably the worst shot he hit all week into that bunker and I was lucky enough to make my putt.’’
The 32-year-old Fielding lives in St. George as does the 31-year-old Killpack, who played for the BYU golf team. The two often play together at Sand Hollow Golf Course, along with Zac Blair when he’s not competing on the PGA Tour.
Killpack had gone into the final round with a two-shot lead over Fielding and kept it through the front side.
“I was hoping to make something on the back side,’’ said Fielding, who played the front in 1-under par. He made a birdie at 12 and then eagled the par-5 13th hole for the third day in a row, sinking a 4-foot putt, to pull even with Killpack.
However, on 14, Killpack drained a 30-foot birdie putt to retake the lead
“At that point, I was thinking, ‘just grind it out and maybe take second,’ said Fielding.
Both players birdied 16 with tough putts and parred 17, setting up the final-hole dramatics.
“I had a couple of bad swings,’’ said Killpack, who finished second at the Provo Open for the third time, to go along with his two victories.. “On 12, I pulled a 9-iron left and didn’t get up and down and then hit the bunker on the last hole. That was the difference.’’
Salt Lake’s Zach Johnson, who was one shot off the lead going into the final round, couldn’t get it going and finished with a 70, three back of Fielding. Rhett Rasmussen, a 16-year-old from Draper, was low amateur and fourth overall at 203 after his second straight 65, while Gipper Finau was fifth at 204.
Fielding said playing the par-5s in 20-under par over the three days was a big key to his victory. He played on the Web.com Tour two years ago and hopes to get back there after playing in several Intermountain events this summer.