Brookfield’s Ott swings his way to another State Open title
KOHLER - Brookfield’s Harrison Ott has put together one of the more impressive amateur golf résumés in recent state history.
The rising fifth-year senior at Vanderbilt emerged as the winner after a back-and-forth, 36-hole finale on Wednesday in the Wisconsin State Open at Blackwolf Run’s Meadow Valleys Course.
Ott shot a 68 in the fourth round to finish at 12-under 275 and hold off Appleton’s Zach Burry (8-under), Stoughton’s Samuel Peterson and Hartland’s Piercen Hunt (both 5-under).
That gives Ott back-to-back Open titles after Dan Woltman won two straight in 2018 and 19. Ott also won the Wisconsin State Amateur championship in 2018 and helped Marquette High School claim the 2017 WIAA Division 1 state title while finishing runner-up as
an individual.
Hunt, who led after the first two rounds at Meadow Valleys and Pine Hills Country Club, couldn't become the first golfer since Bob Brue in 1959 to win both the State Amateur and the State Open in the same year.
Hunt maintained his lead until the top of the leader board tightened up at the end of the third round.
Hunt ran into trouble on No. 16, getting stuck in a bunker and then two-putting for an 8 on the par-5. He had a par on No. 17 and then bogeyed the final hole.
That allowed Ott to draw even with two birdies and three pars to end his third round. Hunt and Ott were at 9-under, taking a brief break before starting the final round.
Burry was a shot behind them, with Kenosha's Cameron Huss and (7-under) and Anderson (6-under) also within striking distance.
Hunt's struggles carried over to the start of the fourth round, with a doublebogey on the first hole and a bogey on No. 3.
Burry grabbed the lead with three straight birdies on Nos. 3-5, but he faltered with bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes.
Ott took advantage with back-toback birdies on Nos. 9 and 10 to take a two-stroke lead. He shook off a doublebogey on No. 11, using another set of back-to-back birdies to pull away.
There was some somberness at the Open this year with the news that Jim Lemon, a popular figure in Wisconsin golf, died of pancreatic cancer at 43 years old on Tuesday.
Lemon won the WIAA Division 1 state championship at Madison West in 1995 and then competed for the University of Wisconsin. After college, Lemon turned pro and played for a few years on the then-Canadian Tour.
Lemon settled back in the Madison area and regained his amateur status while working in finance. He won the State Open in 2013 at Tuckaway Country Club in Franklin.
“I knew him since he was a high school player,” Wisconsin PGA executive director Joe Stadler said. “Because he played in some of the events we ran. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about the guy.
“Just a really good, solid player. Obviously tried to play (pro) for a while. Not super long. Had some success but it's hard.”
After his diagnosis, Lemon competed in the 100th State Open last year at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, finishing tied for 43rd. Stadler said Lemon called him last week to say his health wouldn't allow him to play at this year's Open.
“It was great to have him play last year,” Stadler said. “Geez, to have him finish 40th or whatever, going through what he was going through, was amazing. Just to have the stamina and strength. Because I know it wasn't easy.”