Colin Prater (Colorado Golf Association)

Prater, a former champ himself, chased down 2019 champ, Davis Bryant to claim the title. Beginning the day at 10-under and 9-under respectively, Prater carded a 4-under 66 to Bryant’s 1-over 71 to win by six shots. After Bryant three-putted the first hole, Prater took a share of the lead and ran with it.

With the win, Prater becomes the first competitor in 11 years to win both the CGA stroke and match play events (Steve Ziegler, 2009). Add in the fact that Prater was also the low-am at the Colorado Open and he has himself a ‘Colorado Triple Crown’.

Prater is the first to be low-am at the Colorado Open and win both amateur titles since Gary Longfellow did it in 1974, the first mid-am to win the stroke play championship since Jonathan Marsico in 2008. The six-stroke victory was the largest margin of victory since 2003 when Kane Webber won by seven.

“I drove it really solid all week and that’s one of the first things out here that you need to do — and that maybe is a touch underrated,” Prater told the Colorado Golf Association. “Besides hitting the tee ball in the bunker (on 9), I never really had a poor tee-ball all week. I might have missed four or five fairways all week. Other than that I drove it really solid. That gave me a clean ball into the green. Then if I was able to control my iron shots, I’d give myself a good look at a birdie.”

As for how special his win was in the record books?

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s cool,” he said. “I’m super fortunate. I started playing well to start the summer. The swing has felt solid and I feel like I’m getting better.”

All in all, the 25-year-old high school science teacher and golf coach has had quite the summer vacation.

As for Bryant, he’ll lick his wounds before heading west to compete in the U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes.