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Golf: Eichhorn takes Wisconsin Amateur Open

GREEN LAKE, Wis. — Hunter Eichhorn has added another major golf title to his growing collection.

Eichhorn, a Carney, Michigan native, won the 118th Wisconsin State Open Amateur golf championship at Lawsonia Links here Thursday, perhaps the most prestigious victory in his young career. He parred the last hole to overcome a one-stroke deficit and finish at 281.

He overcame a double bogey on No. 17 when he was stuck in deep fescue near the green to rally for the victory.

Phillip Johnson of Colgate, Wisconsin and Matt Tolan of Eau Claire finished a stroke back in second. Johnson had a double bogey on No. 18 to fall into second.

Samuel Anderson of Stoughton, Wis. and Michael Harris of Brookfield, Wis. shared fourth place at 283.

Eichhorn, who will be a junior on the Marquette University golf team this fall, won the Upper Peninsula Golf Association title last year and was the Big East Conference champion as a freshman. He finished fourth at last year’s Wisconsin Open when he sagged down the stretch.

Eichhorn had been struggling mightily in recent weeks and nearly decided to withdraw from the state open before it began, before yielding to family members who convinced him to play.

He had a modern course-record 65 in the second round to move into title contention. Eichhorn had rounds of 73-65-69-74 over the past four days.

“I’ve been playing terrible for a few months now,” Eichhorn said on the Wisconsin State Golf website.

“My ball-striking has been pretty bad. I’ve just been trying to figure that out and get it together. I’ve just been struggling and I was just kind of wore out.”

Eichhorn said he took five days off before the tournament and did not hit a golf ball until 20 minutes before his opening tee time.

Eichhorn is expected to compete in the Western Open in two weeks in Benton Harbor, Mich.

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