Amateur Lee McCoy Finishes Fourth at Valspar Championship
University of Georgia's Lee McCoy
(NCAA.com Photo)
PALM HARBOR, FL (March 12, 2016)--Lee McCoy continued his strong weekend play in the final round of the Valspar Championship finishing fourth at 4-under par. McCoy, playing alongside world No. 1 Jordan Spieth carded a 2-under 69 on Sunday.
In all McCoy was 7-under on the weekend after making the 3-over cut on the number. McCoy, playing at Innisrook a course he grew up minutes from, had the best round in the field on Saturday with a 5-under 66.
The Georgia product finished just three strokes out of a playoff between Charl Schwartzel and Bill Hass. Schwartzel won on the first extra hole with a par.
"Surreal to say the least," McCoy said of his experience to reporters following the round. "I've always dreamt of just getting a tee time here on Thursday (for the tournament). Being in contention on Sunday, playing with the No. 1 player in the world is something that didn't cross my mind. I really had to pinch myself a few times today."
McCoy got off to a quick start birdieing his first two holes. He then bogeyed 6 and 9 to fall back to even on the day. However, McCoy didn't fold but rather rose to the occasion on the back nine birding the 12th and 14th holes.
The finish by McCoy was the best finish for an amateur in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event since Justin Rose in the 1998 Open Championship. Rose, 17-years-old at the time finished tied for fourth at Royal Birkdale. It was also just the fifth time that an amateur finished in the top 5 since Phil Mickelson won in 1991 while still at Arizona State.
-Golf.com Contributed to this story
Round Three Recap
After making the cut on the number, University of Georgia standout Lee McCoy has moved into the top 10 following with a third-round 66, the best round of anyone in the field on Saturday.
McCoy, 2-under for the tournament, began the day in 53rd place but finds himself six shots off the lead set by Bill Hass (8-under) and in a tie for ninth. The 22-year-old reeled off five birdies in a row on holes seven through eleven and was 7-under on the day until a double-bogey on number 16 brought him back to 5-under.
The incredible round from the 2015 Walker Cup member earns him a Sunday tee time with another 22-year-old by the name of Jordan Spieth. McCoy grew up playing the Innisbrook Golf Resort and will have his a strong local following to rival Spieth's fanbase. The pair will tee off at 1:10 pm (ET) local time.
University of Georgia Star Makes Cut
Lee McCoy made a four-foot birdie putt on the 9th hole, his 18th of the day to make the cut at the 2016 Valspar Championship on the number.
"I was well aware of what I needed to do," McCoy told reporters following the round. "That was a fun little 4-footer. Making the cut was obviously a goal of mine. Before the round I gave myself about a 15, 20 percent chance."
McCoy, a senior for the University of Georgia, was 3-over after round one and it looked like his second round was headed in the same direction. The senior finished his first nine with three straight bogey's on holes 16-18 and at that point he was 2-over for the day.
He then bounced back in a big way over his final nine holes. McCoy jump started his round with a birdies on the first and fifth holes. After giving one back on the seventh McCoy punched his ticket to the weekend with the ninth hole birdie.
McCoy finished with an even-par 71 in the second round.