C.J. Winchenbaugh (Teddy Doggett Photo)

The incoming freshman at Georgetown entered the day at even par, eight strokes off the lead, with an early flight out to Michigan on Friday to prepare for next week's U.S. Junior Amateur at the prestigious Oakland Hills Country Club. But you can't count out his competitive spirit.

The final day of the New England Amateur typically provides an unexpected twist, but you could play the final round over and over again and not yield what transpired on Thursday.

Mustering up some of the best golf of his life, Winchenbaugh set a new course record with an 11-under 61 that included a double eagle/albatross on the par-5 13th and birdies on the final two holes.

His efforts put him even with fellow statesman John Broderick and edged him out with one last birdie on the first playoff hole.

"It's just surreal. Sometimes, you get into a groove, and nothing can get you out of it," said Winchenbaugh, who was a quarterfinalist in the 2023 Mass Amateur and finalist in the 2023 Mass Junior Amateur.

"Having played good golf this past summer, I've pieced together good rounds. Still, I didn't feel like I was playing the way I wanted to. If I were top 5 this week, I would've been really happy. On top of winning, it's nice that my game is back to where I want it to be." 

Winchenbaugh indeed had Michigan on his mind this week. With his dad unavailable to caddy next week, Winchenbaugh brought along his childhood friend Jake Popeo to prepare for looping next week. Talking on the short drive over this morning, they both felt Winchenbaugh was hitting it well enough to shoot around 5-under and squeeze out a top-10 finish.

As it turns out, Winchenbaugh was at that exact mark when he hit arguably the shot of the tournament. Playing the par-5 No. 13, he hit a 2-iron into the narrow fairway and then had about 230 yards to a bunker lurking by the two-tiered green that slopes from front to back.

With a full swat of a 4-iron, Winchenbaugh's ball landed and released on the hill and disappeared. "We thought it was in or over the ridge, so we walked up, and it was in the hole," Winchenbaugh said of his rare albatross that put him at 8-under and right where he needed to be to contend. 

Broderick, the 2020 champion, finished runner-up for the second straight season, but it wasn't for lack of effort. The Vanderbilt University standout made six birdies, including on par-4 No. 15, which brought him even with Winchenbaugh at 11-under. 

In the playoff on hole No. 18, Broderick also had a chance for birdie after hitting his approach shot to about 10 feet. Winchenbaugh, trusting his 2-iron, hit his tee shot into the first cut of rough, and while he found a familiar spot on the back of the green on his approach, he had a lengthy putt, which he made to put one hand on the trophy.  

"Usually, when you have 25-30 feet, you're not thinking it is a must-make," Winchenbaugh said. "When I played 18, I had a similar putt twice, and I was a ball outside both times on the left. You have to expect John to make that putt, so I said if I get it there, it has a chance of going in." 

The low 20 and ties are exempt for the 2025 New England Amateur, set to take place in Vermont at a location to be announced.

Collin McMahon-Shea also came on strong at the end, shooting 73-69-67--209 to finish tied for third with Connor Goode at 7-under.

Like Goode and Broderick, Ethan Whitney finished under par in all three rounds to finish T5 with Elliott Spaulding.

Until Winchenbaugh's round, it appeared Evan Buddenhagen and Aidan O'Donovan might be on course record watch, but both finished 6-under 66. 

Mathew Gover, who plays for the Mass College of Liberal Arts golf team, led among the home-state players by finishing T8 at 4-under. 

While he still has plenty of summer ahead, Winchenbaugh will conclude his junior golf era by playing in the New England Junior Amateur, set for August 18-20 at GreatHorse in Hampden, Massachusetts.