Edwards Wins 16th World Wide Technology Metropolitan Open Championship in First Professional Start
Lake St. Louis, MO – Erik Edwards is the 16th World Wide Technology Metropolitan Open Champion, winning by one stroke after a final round 3-under 69. The three-day event was held at Lake Forest Country Club.
46 players (44 pros, 2 amateurs) survived the cut before the final round Saturday morning.
Edwards, from Louisville, Kentucky, posted back-to-back scores in the 60s on his second and final round. His three-day total of 10-under 206 (70-67-69) was good enough to take home the title by one stroke.
“It’s a feeling that I can’t put into words,” Edwards said. “I’m pretty excited, first professional event this week and I came out and shot 3-under rounds to get the win, a close one too by one shot. Makes me feel good about all the work I put in over the years and this summer, feels good that it’s all paying off.”
The recent University of Indianapolis graduate tied for the tournament lead with 17 birdies, five coming on the final day. Making the turn at 2-under, Edwards had a three-hole birdie stretch on the back nine on holes 12 through 14 that got him alone at the top at 11-under. However, a three-putt on the par 3 15th quickly set him back to 10-under.
Seth Fair, last year’s champion, was in the second to last group and was tied for the lead with Edwards when he got to No. 18. A bogey on the par 5 last put him at 9-under, and all eyes were on Edwards on the finishing hole. A par would win it.
Edward’s was able to get a par the hard way. A duck hook left off the tee put him in the rough off the fairway on No. 10. Hitting two, Edwards hit it low below the tree line to a greenside bunker and a rough lie. A solid chip placed the ball in the middle of the green, and a two-putt later, Edwards was champion.
“It definitely didn’t go as planned, I had no clue where I stood there on 18,” Edwards said. “I figured I probably needed a birdie to tie or win it, and I’ve birdied it every day so far. I had a terrible lie about 75 yards out, was just a hit and hope, and ended up hitting it to 15-20 feet and got that two putt for the win.”
As the winner, Edwards receives the $25,000 first place cash prize.
“This gives me almost unlimited confidence for my pro career to come out and do this in the first event. Being able to hold myself down the stretch like I did today, this is going to be a big building block for me going forward.”
Seth Fair finished runner-up after a 2-under 70 on Saturday. Also graduating from the University of Indianapolis, Fair only carded four bogeys the entire tournament and put together a three-round total of 9-under 207 (69-68-70. In six rounds at Lake Forest since last year’s Open Championship, Fair has played the course 17-under over six rounds of competition.
Kaylor Steger shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to finish in third. The Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin native improved each round, going 71-69-68 (208, -8). Steger tied winner Erik Edwards in total birdies throughout the three days, totaling 17.
Curtis Brokenbrow earned Low Amateur honors after going 70-74-70 (214, -2) to tie for 12th. Brokenbrow was one of two amateurs to survive the cut with Nick Westrich.
“To know that my game can stand up under the pressure of playing alongside these types of guys is huge,” Brokenbrow said. “That’s why I played in this tournament to compete in it, and it was a great experience.”
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