Kenosha's Cameron Huss overcomes delays to win 103rd Wisconsin State Open at SentryWorld

Cameron Huss had to find a good breakfast spot in Stevens Point on Thursday to celebrate his victory in the 103rd Wisconsin State Open.

His time at SentryWorld Golf Course went a little longer than anticipated, thanks to some weather-related delays earlier in the week, but Huss won’t complain.

The rising senior with the University of Wisconsin golf team wrapped up the title in the morning, finishing off a 1-under-par 70 in the fourth round by completing a leftover hole and then sinking three par putts. That gave him a 282 total, three strokes ahead of two-time State Open winner Harrison Ott.

Huss, a former golfer at Kenosha Tremper High School, adds the State Open title to some impressive accomplishments over the last few months. He won the Ray Fischer Amateur Championship in Janesville in June and then finished second in the Wisconsin State Amateur in July.

“I think just starting to play more consistent overall,” Huss said. “Starting to just hit it a little better, be more consistent with my ball-striking. Which has always been a spot of bother for me, that I’ve never been the greatest ball-striker.

“Starting to hit it better and hit my lines. When the putter cooperates, it’s usually pretty good then.”

Huss rose to the top of the leader board on Wednesday. The third day at the State Open is a 36-hole marathon, but it had some added urgency this year when the schedule was hit by a rain delay on Monday. Darkness then suspended play on Tuesday with 22 golfers on the course. The field couldn’t quite catch up on Wednesday, with the final three threesomes unable to finish their fourth rounds.

Huss had a three-stroke lead and was preparing for a birdie putt on No. 15 when the horn blew to suspend play.

“I was kind of just trying to play solid all day,” he said. “It was one of those tournaments where pars were good. It was playing tough.

“I just knew if I stayed steady and played consistent golf that things were going to go in my favor.”

The late finish to an exhausting day didn’t leave him any time to worry about a quick finish on Thursday.

“We just left the course, grabbed some food and checked back into the hotel,” Huss said. “By that time, it was take a shower and then go to bed. Was able to sleep OK, so it wasn’t too bad.”

The nine remaining golfers started at 8 a.m. and Huss quickly took care of business.

“I had about an eight-footer on 15 for birdie to resume play,” he said. “Just missed that. Then 16 is a tougher par-3, they had the pin tucked, and was able to hit a good shot there and two-putt.

“Then 17, just hit it in the fairway, hit a wedge on the green and two-putted. Then 18 was fortunate enough to find the fairway again and just hit a 9-iron in the middle of the green and two-putt to walk away.”

It was Huss’ first time playing at SentryWorld, which also had an eventful summer with the U.S. Senior Open in July.

“The course was awesome,” Huss said. “It was in really good shape. They still had the rough up a little bit. It was a really good test.”

Luckily, Huss didn’t have anything scheduled on Thursday. He could hang around Stevens Point for the celebratory breakfast before driving former UW teammate Griffin Barela back to Madison and then a dinner with family in Kenosha.

Huss aims to keep the momentum from the summer going into the college season.

“Hopefully starting here in about two weeks, Erin Hills for the first event of our fall season, we can get the team playing well,” he said. “And we’ll have a good fall and then roll it into the spring and try to make some noise and make it into the NCAAs.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW golfer and Kenosha native Cameron Huss wins Wisconsin State Open