Jared Bettcher, a rising senior on the Troy State golf team, won the recent Southeastern Amateur at Country Club of Columbus, shooting four rounds in the 60s for a 7-under 273 total and a 3-stroke victory over incoming North Carolina State freshman Benjamin Shipp of Duluth.
Bettcher, a three-year starter for the Trojans and an all-Sun Belt Conference selection all three years, opened with a 69 and followed with three straight scores of 68, taking the lead after 54 holes by one shot. The Auburn, Ala., resident carded 21 birdies for the tournament, including 12 over the final two rounds.
Shipp shared the 36-hole lead at 136 with Marietta’s Jonathan Keppler, who redshirted his freshman year at Florida State, but both players struggled in the third round. Shipp, who shot 68 each of the first two days, fell back with a third round 74, while Keppler struggled to an 80.
Shipp made a run at Bettcher early in the final round, playing his first four holes in 4-under, including an eagle on the fourth hole, but was even par over the final 14 holes for a 66. Keppler, who had six birdies in an opening 67 and followed with a 69, came back the final day with a score of even par 70 to tie for 24th at 286.
David Snyder, who recently completed his college career at Kentucky, tied Shipp for second at 276 after a final round 67, and was one of just four players to break par for 72 holes.
Stanton Schorr, a high school golfer from Columbus, was low among the tournament’s local contingent, shooting 68 in the final round to finish tied for fifth at even par 280.
Steven Fisk of Stockbridge, who recently completed his freshman season on the Georgia Southern golf team, shot 68-70-70-73 to tie for 10th at 281. Tyler Joiner of Leesburg, a member of the Georgia Tech golf team, tied for 13th at 282, with Georgia Tech teammate James Clark of Columbus 17th at 283. Ben Carr, a teammate of Schorr at Columbus High, closed with a 68 to tie for 18th at 284. Michael Hines of Woodstock, one of four Georgia Tech golf team members in the field, tied for 22nd at 285, highlighted by a third round 66.
Nathan Mallonee of Lexington, a rising senior on the Georgia State golf team, shot 65 to take the first round lead, but was 16-over the final three days and finished 18 shots behind Bettcher.
Bettcher got off to a fast start in the final round with an eagle on the par-5 first hole and a birdie at the fourth, the only other par-5 on the tournament scorecard, to take a commanding lead. He was 1-over after that, but protected his lead, finishing three ahead of Shipp and Snyder.