On the money: Dain Richie's accuracy leads to first Men's City title
With an eagle on the 605-yard, par-5 No. 4 hole, Dain Richie was back in front of seven-time city tournament winner Jake Erickson.
That's where he stayed with six birdies over his final 12 holes to shoot an 8-under 64 on Sunday to secure his first city championship by seven strokes over Erickson, 270-277, over the four-day event of the 105th Men's City Tournament.
That’s quite the tune-up for Richie’s upcoming junior golf season at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
“It feels really, really good,” the 20-year-old Richie said. “To pull out a win against a pretty competitive field, especially Jake, I’m super pumped.”
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Richie’s recipe on Sunday was pinpoint accuracy on his approach shots. Several shots landed within just a few feet of the cup.
“I would say I’m a pretty good wedge and iron player, just hitting greens and sticking them close,” Richie said. “I had seven birdies again today and only one of them was outside of four feet.”
On the 16th hole, Erickson — trailing by six shots — chipped in from the front edge of the green for birdie but Richie was already waiting for a birdie attempt from about 3 feet away. Erickson finished with a 2-under 70.
Richie took the lead from Erickson on Saturday at Piper Glen Golf Club with a 4-under 68.
“Dain obviously played extremely well, didn’t miss a lot of shots, made putts — all the stuff you want to do,” Erickson said. “He had two really good scores over the weekend and he deserved to win so I’m happy for him.”
Richie had back-to-back birdies to open the back nine and pulled three shots in front of Erickson. Erickson had a bogey on No. 13 to allow Richie to add another stroke to his lead before Richie birdied three straight.
“I just thought if I could apply a little bit of pressure and just keep going, I’d be in a good spot come 18 and that’s what it was,” Richie said.
Last year’s champion, Blaine Buente, finished with a four-day score of 282 and beat fourth-place finisher Bobby Sobieski by two strokes for third place. Buente (68) and Sobieski (69) were the only two other players on Sunday to finish under par. Ryan Schone was fifth with an even-par 72 on the final day for a 289.
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.
PAST MEN'S CITY CHAMPIONS
2023 — Dain Richie
2022 — Blaine Buente
2021 — Jake Erickson
2020 — Jake Erickson
2019 — Scott Belcher
2018 — Ed Mabie
2017 — Jake Erickson
2016 — Jake Erickson
2015 — Jake Erickson
2014 — Josh Edison
2013 — Jake Erickson
2012 — Jake Erickson
2011 — Scott Teague
2010 — Dave Ryan
2009 — Tyler Link
2008 — Scott Belcher
2007 — Scott Teague
2006 — Scott Teague
2005 — Scott Teague
2004 — Brian Anderson
2003 — Brian Anderson
2002 — Dale Blankenship
2001 — Brian Anderson
2000 — Dave Ryan
1999 — Mark Beck
1998 — Jimmy Collins
1997 — Dale Blankenship
1996 — Dennis Duke
1995 — Rick Ciotti
1994 — Scott Teague
1993 — Rick Ciotti
1992 — George Logan
1991 — Rick Ciotti
1990 — Tony Saputo
1989 — Jerry Thomas
1988 — Dave Ward
1987 — Bill Shafer
1986 — Olie Fosdyck
1985 — Bill Shafer
1984 — J.C. Anderson
1983 — J.C. Anderson
1982 — J.C. Anderson
1981 — Jerry Thomas
1980 — Mark Hofstetter
1979 — Bret Voisin
1978 — Lance Morrison
1977 — Mark Hofstetter
1976 — Rick Haegele
1975 — John Phillips
1974 — Steve Taylor
1973 — John Phillips
1972 — Vito Saputo
1971 — Norm Rodier
1970 — Jerry Thomas
1969 — Dave Hazlett
1968 — John Phillips
1967 — Bill Carson
1966 — John Phillips
1965 — Norm Rodier
1964 — Bill Carson
1963 — Norm Rodier
1962 — Dale Schofield
1961 — Dale Schofield
1960 — Dale Schofield
1959 — Dale Schofield
1958 — Dale Schofield
1957 — Bobby Charlton
1956 — Jim Townsend
1955 — Bobby Charlton
1954 — Jack Coyle
1953 — Jack Coyle
1952 — Johnny Knight
1951 — Johnny Knight
1950 — Johnny Knight
1949 — Bobby Charlton
1948 — Jack Coyle
1947 — Bobby Charlton
1946 — Noonie Pease
1945 — Noonie Pease
1944 — Eddie Charlton
1943 — Eddie Charlton
1942 — Bill McKenzie
1941 — Bobby Charlton
1940 — Bill McKenzie
1939 — Kearin Slowe
1938 — Ray Whipple
1937 — Bobby Charlton
1936 — John Dipple
1935 — Eddie Charlton
1934 — Bud Maddox
1933 — Noonie Pease
1932 — Eddie Charlton
1931 — John Watson
1930 — Noah Dixon
1929 — Les Whipple
1928 — Eddie Charlton
1927 — Noah Dixon
1926 — Eddie Charlton
1925 — George Bunn Jr.
1924 — Noah Dixon
1923 — Douglas Cadawallader
1922 — Noah Dixon
1921 — Douglas Cadawallader
1920 — Noah Dixon
1919 — Henry Abels
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield Men's City golf tournament: Dain Richie wins first title
