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Sam Horsfield chips in on 18th hole to repeat at New Year's Invitational
Sam Horsfield
Sam Horsfield

Story by Andy Zunz of Golfweek

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2015) — After Brandon Pierce set up a kick-in birdie on the par-five 18th, Sam Horsfield needed a heroic shot to repeat at the New Year's Invitational in regulation.

Horsfield, the No. 26 golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, delivered.

Faced with a 25-yard shot, Horsfield committed to a bump-and-run with his 8-iron. About three-quarters of the way to the hole, he said "Please hit the flag." The ball did just that, striking the pin with pace and falling in for eagle, saving a would-be 10-foot comebacker and winning the tournament.

"I launched my club up in the air and I don't remember anything else, to be honest with you," said Horsfield. "I had a pretty good read on it. It was uphill left to right, with pretty good break."

Horsfield closed with rounds of four-under 68 and three-under 69 on the weekend to finish the 72-hole tournament at 8-under 280. The University of Florida signee bogeyed three times on the front nine of St. Petersburg Country Club Sunday, but he played the back nine in four-under with two birdies and an eagle to earn his second straight New Year's Invitational title.

Horsfield entered the final round in a three-way tie for first at five-under with U.S. Amateur champion Gunn Yang and former North Carolina Tar Heel Michael McGowan. McGowan and Yang each shot rounds of even-par 72 on Sunday to fall back into a tie for third, giving Pierce the chance to move into second with a final-round 69.

Pierce, a sophomore at LSU, did not compete in a collegiate event this fall, but earned one top-10 in three events as a freshman last season.

Georgia Tech senior Drew Czuchry rounded out the top five with Chris Selfridge at three-under. Other notables in the field include former Stanford golfer Jim Liu (two-under 286), South Florida senior Joseph Winslow (three-over 291), and Florida commit Kyler Tate (four-over 292).

Results:
1EnglandSam HorsfieldEngland70072-71-68-69=280
2LABrandon PierceCovington, LA50071-70-71-69=281
T3KoreaGunn YangKorea40074-69-68-72=283
T3NCMichael McGowanSouthern Pines, NC40072-69-70-72=283
T5GADrew CzuchryAuburn, GA40073-72-70-70=285

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ABOUT THE

Historic invitational golf tournament that originated on the Lakewood golf course in 1927. This same amateur invitational tournament -- which attracts top Florida amateurs and a strong group of out-of- state players as well -- continues, unbroken, each year although the club name was later changed to St. Petersburg Country Club. The 2025 New Year's Invitational Champion will earn an exemption into the LECOM Suncoast Classic, a Korn Ferry Tour event.

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