THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Zachary Olsen won the 107th Southern Amateur on Saturday, birdieing the final hole of regulation and the first hole of a playoff.
Olsen, the 19-year-old Cordova, Tenn., player who will be a freshman at Oklahoma State, made a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to get into the playoff with Joey Garber and Sam Love, then won with a 20-footer.
"It was pretty awesome, making two big putts on the last two holes to win," Olsen said. "But I love playoffs."
Olsen closed with a 1-under 71 to match Garber and Love at 12-under 276 on the Nicklaus Course at The Club at Carlton Woods. Garber, a Georgia senior from Petoskey, Mich., shot a 69, and Love, a senior at Alabama Birmingham from Trussville, Ala., had a 66.
Olsen received a spot next year in the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational.
"Getting that spot is great, but right now winning this is more important," Olsen said. "This is the biggest win I had."
