For the first time in nearly a decade, a Middle Atlantic PGA professional claimed the title of Maryland Open Champion, when Josh Speight birdied his final hole at the Country Club at Woodmore and secured a one-stroke victory at 99th MSGA Maryland Open Championship on August 26.
Speight fired three straight rounds in the sixties (67-69-68—204) and posted 11-under par to earn a one-stroke victory over runner-up and fellow MAPGA member, Larkin Gross. Charlie Winegardner of The Cannon Club, finished the week as Low Amateur with rounds of 68-66-74—208. Woodmore and The Cannon Club hosted the first two rounds of the championship. All competitors played one round at each course on August 24-25, and the field was cut to the low 40 players and ties. 47 players at +4 (147) or better made the cut and played the final round at Woodmore on Wednesday.
Speight’s consistent play throughout the week and down the stretch during the final round was key to his win. After a bogey-free front nine in the final round that included two birdies at holes three and eight, Speight made just his second bogey of the tournament at the par-4 tenth. But he bounced back and took advantage on another par-5 with a birdie at the eleventh hole. Throughout the week and over the two courses, Speight played the par fives at 9-under par with seven birdies, an eagle, and no bogeys.
He rattled off six consecutive pars before closing out his round with clutch birdies on the final two holes, and the birdie at the last was the decisive one. A fist pump accompanied the 20-footer when it dropped, as Larkin Gross was inside of Speight and had a birdie putt to tie for the lead and set up an intriguing playoff scenario, had Speight missed his bid.
Gross, a professional from Center Cross, VA, poured in the birdie at the 18th hole to post a final round 70, but it wasn’t quite enough to keep him at the top of the leaderboard after his outstanding second-round 65 at Woodmore that included eight birdies. Gross’s final round was quite the rollercoaster ride that included six birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey at the par-3 ninth.
Korn-Ferry Tour member and Towson University product, Ryan Siegler of Baltimore, MD, finished alone in third at 8-under (67-71-69—207). In the first round at Woodmore, he went out in even par, then caught fire with four birdies and an eagle on par-5 eighteenth. The round was offset by a couple of bogeys on holes 14 and 15 to post a 4-under 67 for the day. During his final round on Wednesday, he fired a bogey-free 69 with three birdies.
Winegardner showed out during his first and second rounds and was comfortable at his home club, The Cannon Club, opening with a 68 (-4) on Monday. In the second round at Woodmore, Winegardner posted a bogey-free 66 (-5) with five birdies. His last round at Woodmore wasn’t quite as steady, with bogeys coming before birdies. He climbed back to even par with a birdie at the sixteenth hole, but he was stymied behind a tree on the eighteenth and that led to an untimely double bogey at the last for a final round 74. Despite the disappointing finish after holding the 36-hole lead, Winegardner was the only amateur to finish in the top five.
Notes
Due to drainage challenges in the fairway that would have been compounded by any more heavy rains, the 400-yard, par 4 fifteenth hole at Woodmore was converted to a 170-yard, par 3 for the first and second rounds. With a clear forecast for Wednesday’s final round, the Committee moved the tees back for the hole to play as a par 4. The change resulted in par being 71 for the first and second rounds and 72 for the final round.
Format
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MSGA Tournament & Competitions Committee decided to cancel or postpone all events that were scheduled in May and June, including the cancellation of the four (4) Amateur/Open qualifiers. The Maryland Open Championship, originally scheduled for July 13-15, was moved to August 24-26. Adding The Cannon Club as an additional site for the first two rounds of the Championship allowed a greater number of competitors to compete in the absence of the qualifying sites.
Reported by MSGA Staff
