Page 41 - 2018 Western Amateur Commemerative Program—Skokie Ridge Country Club

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2017 WESTERN AMATEUR RECAP

Xiong victorious in record-setting 2017 Western Amateur

16, it was a relaxing round. We tried to
keep it light, even though it’s such a
big stage.”
A similar scenario played out on No. 1
when Xiong’s 15-foot birdie putt to win
lipped out. The players halved the
second with pars and the third with
birdies. Redman two-putted for his
birdie on No. 3, while Xiong needed
to make a 15-footer to keep his title
hopes alive.
On the par-4 fourth, Xiong hit his
approach to 12 feet, and Redman
was more than 100 feet away, off the
front right of the green. Xiong easily
two-putted for par, but Redman
couldn’t convert his par putt to
keep the match going.
Despite being down late, Redman said
he never counted himself out.

“I wanted to stick to what I’d been
doing, see if I could get some birdies,”
Norman Xiong with his trophies.
By Matt Harness/WGA Redman rallied, and it wasn’t until he he said. “There was nothing crazy
going on in my head.”
missed his par putt on the 22nd hole
Norman Xiong of Canyon Lake, that Xiong could celebrate winning
California, claimed the 115th Western
the championship.
Amateur title on Aug. 5, 2017, at Skokie
Country Club in Glencoe, Illinois. “I tried to have fun and stay in the
moment,” he said. “I played one hole
The championship match was the
longest in tournament history and only at a time.”
the 13th to go to extra holes. Then a Xiong became the first medalist to win
sophomore at Oregon, Xiong was the the tournament since Chris Williams,
25th medalist to win the tournament. of Moscow, Idaho, in 2012 at Exmoor
Country Club in Highland Park. He
The field was one of the event’s
finished stroke play at 14 under.
strongest ever, including the world’s
top amateur players as well as After dropping three holes in a row in
newcomer and former Dallas Cowboys the title match, Xiong nearly saw the
quarterback Tony Romo. championship slip away from him on
Not once during the tournament did the 18th hole. But Redman’s 20-foot
birdie putt lipped out to send the
Xiong believe he had a firm grip on
match into extra holes.
winning the Western Amateur title.

Not even when he led Doc Redman, of “After 16, I started to feel it,” Xiong
Raleigh, North Carolina, 4 up through said. “I got a little more nervous, a little
nine or 3 up through 15 holes of the more tense. Before that, I was loose.

title match. Doc and I had fun out there … before Norman Xiong

2018 WESTERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Western Amateur Championship History 39