Page 21 - Golf Champion - June 2022

Carlos Ortiz

ball great. I made a couple of nice putts when it mattered, at Pumpkin Ridge.
and obviously things go your way when you win a golf Although Johnson didn’t make the individual podium –
tournament.” he lost the third-place tiebreaker to Reed – he was happy
Grace produced several pivotal shots while battling to see his 4 Aces GC romp to the team title. The other
with Ortiz and Johnson in the final group. He drove the two members are Talor Gooch, whose 2-under 70 score
green at the par-4 8th hole to set up a birdie. He rolled counted, and Pat Perez, whose 8-over 80 on Saturday did
in a lengthy birdie putt at 10. He birdied the difficult not contribute to the team score. Perez shot a 3-under
par-4 13th, one of just two birdies recorded at the hole 69 on Thursday to help the 4 Aces get out to an early
Saturday. His hole-out for birdie at the 16th gave him a tournament lead.
two-shot lead with two to play. He followed with another “The fans were electric from start to finish,” Johnson said.
birdie at the 17th, as he shot 5-under on his back nine. “I mean, there was a ton of energy out there, obviously
“I thought the birdie on 13 was huge,” Grace said. “That coming down 17 and 18. Would have liked to have been
hole doesn't suit me at all with my little fade. Going in a little bit closer to Branden finishing, but obviously he
there, the trees blocked me on the left, so hit a great drive played unbelievable today and deserved everything with
down there, had a perfect number for a 3-iron, hit the the way he played. But I thought the fans and the crowd
3-iron to about 20 feet and managed to make the putt. were absolutely amazing.”
Then I thought I'm really in the tournament.” Reed said he fed off the support from the fans in shooting
Ortiz and Johnson, meanwhile, simply couldn’t keep up. a bogey-free 5-under 67. He made a late run, holing out
Ortiz, who at one point held a 5-shot lead, shot a 3-under from eagle at the 17th before rolling in a birdie putt at 18.
69, while Johnson shot a 1-under 71. “It was unreal. I might be moving to Portland sometime
Ortiz, a native of Mexico, enjoyed the vibe in playing in soon, so many fans on my side. I'm like, this is amazing,”
the last group. He said he fed off the energy from the fans Reed said. “… To go ahead and eagle 17 and start throwing

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