Florida golfer ices All-Star at Aspen win in sudden-death playoff

ASPEN On a cold, rainy Thursday at the Aspen Golf Club, a golfer from the Sunshine State surged from five shots back to claim victory in a sudden-death playoff at this year’s Junior All-Star at Aspen.Christopher Ingham of Pinecrest, Fla., defeated first- and second-round leader Wyndham Clark of Greenwood Village on the second playoff hole after both players finished the third round tied at an even-par 216.Ingham came into Thursday’s round tied for third and was the only player to shoot under-par in the trying weather conditions, finishing with four birdies. “Right from the start I knew it was going to be a tough, grinding day,” Ingham said in an American Junior Golf Association press release. “I bogeyed the second hole but I knew everyone else was going high and I just had to hang in there. I birdied No. 5 and 7 and knew I was in the thick of things.”Last weekend, Ingham defeated Clark in the Future Collegians World Tour National Championship – a win which he said helped him prepare for Thursday’s tense playoff. “I gained all the confidence back that I lost last season,” Ingham said. “I felt like an elite player again and I could beat anyone, anywhere. I expected to win this tournament all along.”Clark settled for second while Charlie Saxon of Tulsa, Okla., took third with a 3-over-par 219, followed by Clancy Waugh of North Palm Beach, Fla., in fourth at 7-over-par 223. Michael Schoolcraft of Englewood and Bennett Lavin of Deerfield, Ill., tied for fifth, both at 9-over-par 225.Regina Alonso of Huixquilucan, Mexico, who led from the opening gun on Tuesday, posted a 13-over-par 229 to cruise to the girls title.Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the 54-hole junior tournament featured 57 boys and 17 girls, ages 12 to 15, from 15 states, Canada and Mexico. Alonso had her worst round on Thursday – a 10-over par 82 – but still finished 10 strokes ahead of the rest of the field.”My hands were frozen and I could hardly hit the ball,” Alonso said. “Mexico hardly gets this weather and it was hard to decide what club to hit. I just tried to adapt.”Michelle Butler of Dunedin, Fla., finished second with a 23-over-par 239. Michele Chun of Chino Hills, Calif., and Catherine Herrera of Houston, Texas, tied for third with scores of 243.