The final round of the 126th SCGA Amateur Championship at Torrey Pines GC began with a very crowded leaderboard but eventually Jaden Huggins, of Long Beach State University, broke free and never looked back.
While Huggins started his day with a bogey, he was able to rebound quickly and make his move. Between the fourth hole and the turn, the fifth-year senior recorded three birdies and went out in 34 strokes.
Huggins would make back-to-back birdies early on the second nine at the par 5 thirteenth and par 4 fourteenth. In the group behind him, co-leader Samuel Foust four-putted the fourteenth green and made a double bogey. The three-shot swing busted the championship wide open and was only widened when Faust made another bogey on no. 15.
Meanwhile, Huggins would steer the ship in with poise. He made pars on nos. 15, 16, and 17 and birdied no. 18 to ultimately clear the field by an improbable five strokes.
Huggins, who carded a blistering 65 on Tuesday on the North Course of Torrey Pines GC, was able to carry his momentum into the final rounds on the more difficult South Course. Despite playing his final 54 holes at 13-under par, Huggins struggled in his opening round on Monday where we posted a three-over 75 on the South Course. He went an incredible 10 shots better the next day on the North Course and proved to be just as suited for the South with rounds of 70 and 68 on Wednesday and Thursday.
At a cumulative 10-under par for the week, Sam Huggins managed to runaway from a hoard a players and win in dominating fashion. Not bad for a player who broke his hand last year, just returned to competitive golf, qualified late for the championship and was over-par after his opening round.
