RENFREW SHOOTS 13-UNDER TO WIN BUSHNELL CLASSIC AT VERRADO
Cory Renfrew fired a final-round 5-under 67 that included a 4-under 32 on the back nine to edge out Drew Scott by one shot to win the Bushnell Classic at Verrado Golf Club, the first event of the OnCore Gateway Tour’s Winter Series.
Renfrew fired a bogey-free five under in round one and 3-under 69 in round two to get to 8-under for the tournament, but found himself three shots back of second-round leader Mac Mcclung, who was 11-under after rounds of 66-67, and two back of Scott who was 10-under after shooting 66-68 in the first two rounds.
All three players start the final round slow, with all of them shooting just 1-under on the front nine. But Renfrew drew first blood on the back, carding birdies on 10 and 12 to get to 11-under par. Mcclung matched Renfrew’s birdie on 10 but made a costly double bogey on the par-4 12th that dropped him into a tie for the lead with Renfrew at 11-under.
Scott also made birdie on the par-5 10th to get to 12-under and took the lead at 13-under after Mcclung’s double bogey on 12. Mcclung countered with a birdie on the par-3 14 to get to 12-under, one shot back, and Renfrew joined Mcclung in second place after his birdie on 15 got him within one shot of Scott.
The par-4 16th proved to be the deciding hole. Holding a one shot advantage, Scott posted a costly double bogey to drop to 11-under, Mcclung carded a bogey to join him at -11, and Renfrew took advantage with a birdie to take a two shot lead at 13-under. Scott made it interesting, cutting Renfrew’s lead to just one shot after making birdie on the par-3 17th, but Renfrew matched Scott’s par on the final hole to secure the one shot win.
Renfrew had 16 birdies and just three bogeys through his three rounds to earn his second win of the year and fifth Top-10 finish in five starts.
Scott had just one bogey and was 10-under through 36 holes, but managed only a 2-under 70 with a bogey and double-bogey in the final round for his second place finish.
Second-round leader Mcclung had an up-and-down week, carding rounds of 66-68-70 with 21 birdies, eight bogeys and one double bogey, but did manage a birdie on the 18th and final hole to finish solo third at 11–under par.
Brady Schnell found himself near the top of the leaderboard after his birdie on 14 got him to 11-under, but he lost ground with bogeys on the par-5 15th and the par-4 16th to finish fourth at 9-under par.
Nick Hodge rounds out the Top-5 with rounds of 69-69-70 to finish 8-under par.
For complete results from the OnCore Gateway Tour Bushnell Classic at Verrado Golf Club CLICK HERE https://gway.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gway16/event/gway169/contest/1/leaderboard.htm.
Prior to the Bushnell Classic, the players competed in the Winter Series Sponsorship Event, an 18-hole tournament that awards the winner free entry into all six Winter Series events. Horacio Leon birdied the final two holes at Verrado and finished at 4-under, winning the Winter Series Sponsorship Event by one shot over John Davis. For complete results CLICK HERE
Next up on the OnCore Gateway Tour is the OnCore Golf Classic at Talking Stick, Jan. 18-20, followed by the Supershuttle Championship, Jan. 25-27.
