Maumelle Classic

Unfazed Murphee marches down 18

Price Murphree shot a 1-over-par 73 in the final round of the Maumelle Classic on Sunday, but it was enough to give the Henderson State junior the tournament title.
Price Murphree shot a 1-over-par 73 in the final round of the Maumelle Classic on Sunday, but it was enough to give the Henderson State junior the tournament title.

Price Murphree knew what happened to the leader a year ago on the 54th and final hole of the Maumelle Classic.

Sunday, he made sure he didn't repeat Austin Harmon's mistake, and the result was a one-shot victory at Maumelle Country Club.

"I was aware of what happened with Austin last year when I got on the tee box," said Murphree, 20, who was doused with water by three of his Henderson State teammates after the victory.

Needing a bogey at the 54th hole to win last year's championship, Harmon made double bogey and ultimately lost to Noah Tullos on the second playoff hole.

This year, Murphree led by a stroke over D.J. Godoy and Tyler Reynolds, who was already in the clubhouse at even par, when he approached the par-4 final hole, a troublesome 420-yard dogleg right.

Murphree found the fairway off the tee, hit a pitching wedge to within 18 feet, then two-putted for par to win by a stroke over Reynolds.

He came up 6 feet short on his first putt, then confidently made his second to secure the title and avoid a playoff with Reynolds.

"I looked at the leaderboard on the green and knew I needed it," Murphree said. "I didn't want a playoff and take a chance of winning or losing it that way. I was committed to my line and fortunately it went in the hole."

Murphree finished with a 1-over 73 and won with a 1-under 215.

Godoy, a sophomore at Arkansas Tech who was eliminated after the first playoff hole by Tullos and Harmon a year ago, still had a chance to tie Murphree at the 18th, but he pulled his 9-iron left with his second shot into the fringe left of the hole. He chipped short, thus ending his chance at birdie, but then three-putted to finish off a 2-over 74.

Godoy finished tied for third with Harmon.

Murphree started the day with a two-stroke lead over Harmon and Godoy, but bogeyed No. 1 when he missed a 6-foot par putt. He ran into more trouble at the par-4 seventh, when he blocked his tee shot right, hitting it out of bounds. He ended up sticking his 88-yard fourth shot to within 15 feet and sinking what he called a "good bogey" putt.

The light switch, Murphree said, came on with three consecutive birdies to start the back nine to get to 3 under.

"I just knew I needed to step it up and turn on the afterburners," said Murphree, who bogeyed Nos. 13 and 17 to slip back to 1 under. "I just focused on hitting greens and giving myself uphill putts and keeping it out of trouble as much as possible."

Reynolds, a junior at UALR, started the day at 3 over, five strokes behind Murphree. He finished with a 34 on the front to start a charge that ended with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 10-12 that left him 2 under for the tournament.

He lost a stroke after a three-putt on the par-5 15th and another on 18. Reynolds' tee shot on the final hole hit a tree and his blind approach shot went left of the green, leading to a lengthy pitch and two-putt for bogey, thus ending his championship hopes until Murphree finished up.

"I've probably had more leads or been right there of the lead than anyone the last year or so," said Reynolds, 21, who had the lead going into the final round a year ago before slipping back with an 80. "I just never close it out for whatever reason. I could have played better but I just couldn't figure out any birdie putts."

Harmon, the first-day leader after a 5-under 67, managed a 2-over 74 to tie for third.

It was Harmon wh0 held a six-stroke lead until the 17th hole of Saturday's second round, finishing with consecutive triple bogeys to trail by two heading into Sunday.

"I missed four birdie putts on the front nine that kind of kept me from going anywhere," Harmon said. "I hit it good but I really just needed the putter to get going."

Godoy got to within of three of the lead after a birdie on the par-5 12th, then parred the next five holes to pull within one stroke heading into the home hole.

"I was pretty steady, but I didn't have my best stuff," Godoy said. "I needed to get myself in better position.

"I pressed there on 18 with the 9-iron from 162. I hit a decent chip, but then I blew it by the hole and that was it."

Defending-champion Tullos shot a 5-over 77 to finish at 8 over (224) and in a tie for ninth place.

Sports on 07/27/2015

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