Lepp makes gigantic leap, becomes first UW champ

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The University of Washington’s James Lepp defeated Pepperdine’s Michael Putnam on the third hole of a playoff Saturday to win the school’s first NCAA men’s Division I individual golf title.

Lepp, a junior from British Columbia, started the final round six strokes behind Putnam, and shot a 7-under-par 63 to force a playoff. Putnam, who had led after the second and third rounds, had a 1-under 69 and finished tied at 4-under 276.

After each parred the first two playoff holes, Lepp two-putted from 40 feet on the 460-yard, par-4 18th, while Putnam knocked his first putt 8 feet past and missed his next try.

Georgia, which went wire-to-wire, wrapped up the team championship with an even-par 280 – counting the top four scores from the five-player squad – and finished at 15 over. David Denham, Chris Kirk, Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner and Richard Scott each shot 70s on the demanding 7,137-yard Caves Valley layout.

Georgia Tech finished 11 shots back at 26 over. Washington, which shot 4-under 276 in the final round, placed a team-record third at 33 over and Brigham Young University was another stroke back in fourth.

Washington placed sixth last year. Alex Prugh (Ferris High) of the Huskies finished with a 2-over 72, with one birdie and three bogeys, to finish tied for 58th at 299.

Erik Olson had UW’s second-best effort, tied for 27th at 290.

Lepp made an 18-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation to force the playoff. He birdied eight holes after a 6-over 76 in the third round.

Two of his birdie putts were tap-ins, and two of the other six were outside 10 feet.

“After struggling in the third round, I came out this morning and felt good hitting shots on the range. It gave me some confidence,” Lepp said. “Starting six shots back, I thought it was realistic I could catch (Putnam), but I can only control me. The main thing was to get a good team score.”

Defending champion Ryan Moore of UNLV shot a 4-under 66 and tied for fifth at 2 over.