Bond near flawless in OGA State Amateur finale win over Stoller
By Ken MacLeod
Given it was the sixth round in four days of stultifying heat for the two finalists, one might have expected some loose play in the championship match of the Oklahoma State Amateur at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.
Instead, observers were treated to exquisite play by both contestants Thursday, with the difference being one was a bit hotter with his putter. Neither player made a bogey throughout as Collin Bond of Norman prevailed over Ben Stoller of Owasso 4 and 2.
Bond made five birdies and an eagle, with four of those birdies in the first eight holes as he shot out to a 4-up lead after the front nine. Stoller battled back with birdies on the par-3 11th hole and short par-4 12th hole to cut the lead in half.
Both players missed relatively short birdie putts on the horseshoe par-5 13th. For Stoller, it was one in a series of lost opportunities after he hit it within birdie range only to settle for pars on holes 8, 9, 13, 14 and 15.
Bond, a redshirt sophomore at Oklahoma State, put the match away by stuffing his tee shot on the 150-yard par-3 15th to about two feet, then rolled in a 25-footer for eagle on the par-5 16th hole to close it out.
“Collin played fantastic from start to finish,” a gracious Stoller said. “I played well but just needed to make a few more putts. But some days, guys just beat you and he did that today.”
Bond, who did not make a bogey since the fourth hole in his quarterfinal match, overcame an early surprise when he reached for his 3-wood on the par-4 second hole only to discover it had broken when he used it on the first hole. Under the rules as he did not cause the damage by abusing the club, he was able to send in for a replacement head which was back to him shortly after.
Bond made an 8-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 fourth hole to break the ice, added a 6-footer on the next hole and then rammed in a 25-footer for birdie on the par-4 seventh hole. After Stoller missed about a 6-foot birdie effort on the eighth hole, he made a 5 foot putt to go 4 up.
Instead of folding, Stoller played tremendous golf from that point. He said he felt like most of the putts were solid strokes that felt good off the club face. Stoller uses a long putter, part of his solution to putter yips that affected him for parts of two years in his collegiate career at Kansas State. Now with the help of several he said “I feel like every tournament I enter I’m going to be the best putter in the field.” That attitude should help him immensely in his final collegiate season, which will be at the University of Louisiana Monroe beginning this fall.
“With a player like Ben, you have to learn that no matter how far up you are, you have to respect his ability to come back,” Bond said. “He’s experienced, he’s a smart player and hits it close enough to bring it back. So you just need to make sure you’re making good swings and not getting ahead of yourself.”
That Bond did with his birdie-eagle finish. He showed he is more than ready to help the Cowboys as they pursue another national championship. Head coach Alan Bratton, who won this event in 2006 at Dornick Hills, said he was proud and happy for Bond.
“I couldn’t be happier for Collin. He has worked his tail off the last couple years and does all the right things. That work paid off today. He’s a pleasure to coach and we are fortunate to have him in our program. It’s great to see his name added to that trophy “
The victory also earns Bond an exemption to compete in the U.S. Amateur Aug. 10-16 at Merion Country Club.
