O'Rourke wins playoff at UM

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Ryan O’Rourke rallied from the back of the pack to force a playoff with Cal Wollack for the boys overall title then won on the third hole.

O’Rourke, playing out of the Boys 14-15 division opened with a 76 to put him five shots back of Wollack and Cameron Cowland entering the final round in which he shot 70 for tie Wollack. Bogeys at 2, 4 and 7 seemed to take O’Rourke out of contention, but he played flawlessly the rest of the way notching all pars with birdies at 9, 10 and 13.

Wollack seemed poised to make a run at the victory in regulation as he turned to the back nine in even-par Sunday when he found trouble. Three bogeys around a double bogey at the 13th set him back, but he dropped in a crucial birdie at the 17th which enabled him to make the playoff.

In the playoff, O’Rourke secured the victory on the third hole when Wollack hit a shot out-of-bounds.

O’Rourke finished with rounds of 76-70—146 while Wollack shot 71-75—146. Cowland missed the playoff by one shot, turning in rounds of 71-76—147, good for third place overall and second in the Boys 16-19 division.

Evan Johnson placed third at 74-74—148 while the top five of the Boys 16-19 division was rounded out by Noah Campbell (73-77—150) and Will Robson (74-76—150).

In the boys 14-15 division, behind O’Rourke was Lorenzo Pinili alone in second place with rounds of 75-74—149. Leuan Jones shot 78-72—150 to claim sole possession of third place, followed by P.J. Maybank alone in fourth at 75-76—151.

VanderMolen earns second win in Boys 13-and-Under

Max VanderMolen posted rounds of 71-77—148 to earn a 3-shot victory in the Boys 13-and-under division at UM.

The victory was VanderMolen’s second of the season – the first coming at Michigan State in September.

In his opening round, VanderMolen notched five birdies in building a 5-shot lead over Peyton Blackard and James McNair. Coming down to the wire, Blackard had pulled within one shot of VanderMolen with just one hole remaining, but Blackard made double bogey against VanderMolen’s par.

Blackard finished at 76-75—151 for sole possession of second place while McNair shot 76-77—153 to take third place.