Myles Creighton, a Radford University junior, takes no days off and on Saturday this was true again as he won the Rice Planters Amateur, one of the top amateur golf tournaments in the United States.
The Rice Planters Amateur was the inspiration of amateur golfer, Dick Horne. During his first Porter Cup at the Niagara Falls Country Club in 1973, Horne befriended the tournament’s chairman Dick Harvey. Harvey encouraged a receptive Horne to develop his own southern tournament and consequently, along with other Porter Cup officials, shared enough useful information to get Horne started in the South. The Rice Planters quickly grew to become one of the top amateur events in the country.
The field of 87 was down to just two players after three rounds of play. Those two were Michael Sass from the College of Charleston and Radford’s Creighton. Both had finished three-under (213) and were played a one-hole playoff to crown a champion. The two players found the green from the tee box on the playoff hole and Creighton sunk the shot on the second putt waited for Sass.
The College of Charleston player missed his second putt and the title went to Creighton.
“I’ve won a few times in college tournaments,” said Creighton. “However, this is my biggest for sure. Just looking at Brooks Koepka’s name on the trophy from seven years ago and all of the other names — it’s cool to be a part of that history.”
The three-day tournament, which began on Wednesday, saw Creighton shoot a one-under (71) in round one. He began with a bogey on two of the first three holes, but came back to birdie four of the final eight holes in the round. On Friday, the Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada native birdied three holes and bogeyed three to finish even. He still had a one-under (143) following two rounds.
In the third round, Creighton shined finishing two-under (70). He birdied four total holes and eagled hole 16. He struggled on the back nine shooting three bogeys, but had a good enough score to go to a playoff hole.
“What a great victory for Myles,” Mike Grant said. “The Rice Planters Amateur Event is one of the most prestigious amateur events in the country and to win it is quite the accomplishment.”
— Courtesy of RU Athletics