DRAMA SWING
McCarthy’s 20-foot birdie putt edges Carlon, Alderete
Patrick McCarthy’s dramatic finish gives him the City men’s golf title
In one of the most exciting finishes in the history of this grand old event, Patrick McCarthy drained a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to hold off a charging Sean Carlon and Isaac Alderete by one shot and win the 56th Greater Albuquerque Men’s City Amateur Golf Championship on Sunday at Los Altos.
“I was reading it, and I knew it was going to break a little left,” said McCarthy, who will be a sophomore at Missouri Western State. “My dad (Pat) told me, ‘Just give it a chance.’ He got behind me and said, ‘If you make it, you’re the City champ.’ I knew it wouldn’t be the best thing for me to go to a playoff against Sean and Isaac, because they are such great players.”
Moments before McCarthy iced it, Alderete — who was in striking distance the entire round — missed his 25-foot birdie attempt by inches on the final hole to finish the 54-hole event at 9-under 207. Carlon had stuck his approach shot within two feet on the last hole, meaning he was a tap-in for birdie and a 207 as well.
In 2015, Carlon hit his approach shot in almost the identical spot on the final hole at Los Altos to move to 19 under and hold off Casey Harty for the win.
On Sunday, Carlon said he knew he had a great shot if it got to a
playoff — but also said he knew McCarthy could end it on 18 in the event sponsored by Houston Wholesale Cars.
“I give Pat so much credit,” said Carlon, a rising junior on the University of New Mexico men’s golf team and former three-time state high school champ at Hope Christian. “He just kept playing so well all day. I really knew he’d make that putt. You really have to give it to him for making such a clutch putt.”
Knowing he had to drain the putt to avoid a three-way playoff, McCarthy — a former state high school champion out of St. Pius — didn’t stand long over the prize winner.
A crowd of more than 100 cheered as McCarthy pumped his fist seconds later.
“That was the most pumped I’ve ever been on a golf course.”
McCarthy entered the final round at 7 under and with a three-shot lead over both Carlon and Alderete.
McCarthy and Alderete were co-leaders after Friday’s opening round at Ladera, both shooting 1-under 71. Carlon struggled down the stretch to a 75 that day.
On Saturday at Arroyo del Oso, both Carlon and McCarthy fired 6-under 66 scores while Alderete had a 69, setting up the final round.
Alderete birdied four holes on the front side on Sunday but had two bogeys and made the turn at 6 under. McCarthy had a consistent front nine of two birdies and one bogey and had a two-shot lead after nine at 8 under.
Carlon lipped numerous putts on his front nine despite a number of great birdie opportunities. He had just one birdie on the front to turn at 5 under and trailed by three.
“It was frustrating most of the day; the putts just weren’t falling,” Carlon said. “But you never really know what will happen until you know, and I was just trying to dig away and make some birdies. But that kid (McCarthy) did not let up one time. He was just rock solid all day.”
Alderete pulled within one shot of the lead with a birdie on 12 and it stayed that way until the par 5 14th. Then things really got exciting, with Carlon draining a 12-foot eagle putt to get to 7 under and McCarthy 2-putting for birdie to go 9 under. Alderete stayed at 7 under with a par.
All three made par on 15. McCarthy then hit a tree on his drive on the par 5 16th, leading to a par. Alderete hit a great shot out of the far right rough to reach the green in 2, and 2-putted for birdie to get to 8 under. Carlon also 2-putted for birdie to go 8 under.
On 17, Alderete hit his approach within three feet and made the birdie to tie McCarthy at 9 under while Carlon just missed a 10-foot birdie putt to remain at 8 under heading to the final hole — and the great finish.
“I was really, really happy with the way I was able to hang in there, not get ahead of myself and stay in the present,” McCarthy said. “I was trying to just take one shot at a time and not playing Sean or Isaac. But the last few holes I knew they were coming.”
Alderete, a 2014 Sandia Prep graduate and UNM golfer, said he “was trying to make it four straight (titles) for Lobo golfers. Sam Saunders won it in 2014, then Sean and then Gustavo (Morantes) last year.
“But I just made too many silly mistakes, and Pat was great. That was huge to win it like that. I really wanted to win it, but I’m not disappointed. I’m going to stay an amateur the rest of my life, so I’ll have plenty of opportunities.”
Morantes closed with the day’s low round of 7-under 65, but finished a distant fourth at 1-under 215 while Chandler Smith-Stetson, Jason Myers and Simon Miller tied for fifth at 215 and Andy Brooks and Bowen Davis tied for seventh at 220.