U.S. Amateur Golf Championship : Clemson’s Patton Wins, 3 and 1

ARDMORE, Pa. —  Chris Patton looks as if he should be out on the football field for Coach Danny Ford, but the 300-pound Clemson senior proved he belongs on the golf course.

Patton beat Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn., 3 and 1, Sunday in the 36-hole final of the U.S. Amateur championships.

“It’s pretty awesome,” the 6-foot-1 Patton said after winning the championship at Merion Golf Club. “I played as good as I can play.

“I’ve played as good this week as I’ve played in a long, long time. There were some real good matches. It was no cakewalk.”

The 21-year-old Patton was two-over-par for his last 102 holes.

In Sunday’s first 18 holes, Patton took a three-hole lead over the 32-year-old Green, who said he helps in his father’s optical shop but mostly plays golf. Patton increased his lead to 4-up with a three-foot birdie putt on the second hole of the final 18. Green lipped a 12-foot birdie attempt.

Green won the fourth hole as Patton drove off the fairway and failed to get his second shot out of the deep rough.

But Patton got that back at No. 6 with a 22-foot birdie putt.

Green, who had trouble with his putter most of the day, won the eighth hole with a par, while Patton drove into a trap, hit over the green, chipped back and two-putted for a bogey.

Green won the 310-yard, par-four 10th with a 25-foot birdie putt, cutting Patton’s lead to two.

But the easy-swinging Patton won No. 11 as Green put his second shot in the water en route to a double bogey, and conceded a birdie putt.

Patton, with the consistency that marked his play all week, boosted his lead to four again at the 12th, laying his second shot close to the pin for a birdie.

Green stayed in the match by winning the 14th hole with a par when Patton missed a 10-footer and settled for bogey.

After halving 15, Green was three holes down with three holes to play.

He staved off defeat by winning the 16th hole with a par while Patton drove into the rough again and two-putted from 18 feet for another bogey.

But on the 222-yard 17th, Green’s tee shot landed in a greenside trap snug against the lip. He had to take a penalty stroke for an unplayable lie.

Then Green surrendered, giving Patton--who was 18 inches from the pin in two--the hole and championship.

“I was in the Amateur for the first time and I’m proud of myself,” Green said. “I played real well.”

But he did fault his putting, normally a strength.

“Usually I putt well and don’t strike the ball well,” Green said. “It was the reverse this week. I struck the ball well and didn’t putt well.”