Strong showing
BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. — For weeks, Brett Rinker felt his game was almost there.
It was there this week for Rinker, a Slippery Rock High graduate and freshman at Bowling Green University, at the AJGA Championships at Bryan Park Golf and Conference Center — Player’s Course in North Carolina Tuesday through Thursday.
Rinker shot 14-under par in the three-round tournament, but lost to William Register of Burlington, N.C., in a sudden-death playoff.
Rinker had made a long, snaking putt for par on the first playoff hole. But Register sunk a 30-foot putt to win.
“Nothing I could do about that,” Rinker said. “Nothing at all.”
It was the second AJGA championship for Register, while it marked Rinker’s highest finish.
Both were discussed on the Golf Channel Thursday evening.
“That was pretty neat,” Rinker said.
Rinker said he has been playing well this summer, but has struggled at times with his putting.
His putter was working for him in all three rounds this week, especially during his first round when he shot an 8-under-par 64.
Rinker said he knew it was just a matter of time before he turned in a tournament like this one.
“That’s exactly how I felt all summer,” he said. “I’ve been hitting the ball very well, hitting fairways and greens, but I wasn’t making the birdie putts. I felt really good, bit I wasn’t putting it all together until this week.”
Rinker, who shot a 71 to finish tied for fourth at the Eagle Amateur Open Sunday, said putting has long been a battle for him.
“My ball striking is always fairly decent,” Rinker said. “It’s just the putting that I’m always working on.”
Rinker’s success couldn’t have come at a better time.
His college season at Bowling Green starts in two weeks.
“I’m pretty confident,” Rinker said. “We have a really good team this year. The new coach (Kevin Farrell) wants to build a better program. I think we’ll be pretty good this year. I’m looking forward to that.”
