BURLINGTON, VT – The final round of the 2024 Vermont Amateur Championship was hosted by Burlington Country Club on Thursday. The tournament was shortened to three rounds after storms paused Wednesday’s play … The end of the second round was played ton Thursday morning, followed by the final round.
The course was soggy from Wednesday’s rain. 17-year-old Lucas Politano and Travis Russell began the day as the top pairing. Russell held an early two stroke lead, both players stayed close at the top.
Two-time Vermont-Am champion Bryson Richards began the final round three back of the lead, but he made a charge mid-way through.
Evan Russell, Travis’ brother, also heated up at the right time. He chipped-in at the twelfth to give him a share of the lead.
It was a tight race down the stretch. Six golfers were within a stroke, including Walker Allen, who narrowly missed a eagle putt on the 18th hole. He tapped in for birdie to go to one-under overall and four-under for the round.
Michael Walsh, playing on his home course, had a great approach on 18 that led to a par and a one-under finish.
When the final pairing reached the 18th green, Politano got his birdie putt to fall to put him at one-under par.
But none of that mattered if Travis Russell also birdie the final hole. His flop-shot over the bunker landed soft to leave him about four feet away from the win. But he couldn’t finish it.
Russell headed to a playoff on the 18th hole with Politano, Walsh, and Allen.
Politano put the pressure on with a tremendous chip in tight. Allen had little green to work with, but judged the distance perfectly for one of the best pressure shots of the day. Both players made their birdie putts. The other two were eliminated.
On playoff hole number two, Politano faced a tough third shot,, but pulled some magic out of his bag with a beauty from behind a tree to give himself a birdie look. He knocked it in from about 20 feet uphill.
The pressure was on Allen. His putt to keep the playoff going drifted left and Politano won the 2024 Vermont Amateur Championship.
He birdied the 18th hole three straight times to claim the trophy.
“I was kind of blacking-out out there a little bit. I don’t really know how to describe how I was feeling,” said Politano. “Just to be able to handle the nerves in that situation.
He spoke about the shot that gave him his game-winning putt. “I had a gap, but I had to hit it over a little tree and I mean I just hit the perfect shot I guess and left me 20 feet up hill for birdie and happened to make it. You always want to write you name on that amateur trophy. So to get it done this week is awesome.”
With the win, Politano has earned a spot in the U.S. Amateur Championship this August.
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