Edmond’s Rust wins Buffalo Run – Prairie Sun and Moon Casinos Classic at Peoria Ridge
By Jim Ellis
MIAMI, Okla. – A solid start meant a big payday for Dillon Rust.
Rust used five birdies to counter his only bogey on his way to a 4-under par 68 and a one-stroke victory in the Buffalo Run-Prairie Sun and Prairie Moon Casinos Classic Saturday at Peoria Ridge Golf Course.
"It was a struggle out there with the wind, but I got off to a solid start and kept my mistakes to a minimum," said Rust, who finished the tournament at 17-under par 271.
The win was his first as a professional and came exactly a year from the time he made his pro debut here.
"That was one of the goals I had set at the beginning of the year," Rust said. "Now that I have won this one, I want to win the next one. It’s feels good to know that the work I have done has paid off and all the prayers and everything from my family are being heard."
Trey Herring from Austin, Texas, and Derek Tolan from Highlands Ranch, Colo., tied for second at 16-under 272. Each wrapped up play with 2-under 70s.
"I thought I needed to get to 18 to win or be in a playoff," Rust said. "My goal at the beginning of the week was to get to 20. It ended up that 17 held up � and I couldn’t be happier."
Toni Hakula from Espoo, Finland, placed fourth a stroke behind at 273.
Amateur Payne Gniewek from Austin had the best showing ever for an amateur, placing in three-way tie for fifth with Joseph Kinney from Antioch, Ill., and Zack Reeves from Arlington, Texas, at 13-under 275.
The win by Rust meant that the Miami tournament has yet to have a repeat winner.
Mark Walker, who won the tournament in its first year as an Adams Pro Tour event, finished in a tie for ninth at 12-under 276 with Oklahomans Sam Powell from Tulsa and Cameron Meyers from Edmond and Joseph McLister from Overland Park, Kan.
It also marked the eighth different winner this season on the APT.
Third round leader Lance Lopez from Richmond, Texas, struggled Saturday. After logging a tournament low 64 on Friday, he saw his score balloon to 5-over 77. He finished in a three-way tie for 16th with Shawn Jasper from Foristell, Mo., and William Kropp from Edmond.
"The key today was just hitting it solid," Rust said.
His lone bogey came on the par-3 No. 11 when he three-putted.
"On a day like this, I will take it," said Rust, who had hoped to be able to finish at 20-under par for the week. "I didn’t really watch the leaderboard, but did see I was tied once."
Over four days, Rust had 22 birdies and only five bogeys. Four of those came during Friday’s 72, which left him in a tie for sixth with McKinney and Reeves.
The win propelled Rust into second place in the money standings with $25,231,04. He is only $3,257.71 behind frontrunner Kelvin Day from Surrey, England.
The Adams Pro Tour remains in Oklahoma next week with the OK Kids Korral Championship at the Belmar Golf Course in Norman.
Adams Pro Tour – Buffalo Run – Prairie Sun and Moon Casinos Classic Results
Peoria Ridge Golf Course, Miami
Par: 72 Distance: 6960
1 Dillon Rust Edmond, OK 67-64-72-68–271 -17 $15,150.00
T2 Trey Herring Austin, TX 70-64-68-70–272 -16 $7,425.00
T2 Derek Tolan Highlands Ranch, CO 68-66-68-70–272 -16 $7,425.00
4 Toni Hakula Espoo, Finland 67-69-68-69–273 -15 $5,500.00
T5 Mark Stevens Concord, NH 70-70-69-66–275 -13 $4,073.33
T5 Payne Gniewek (AM) Austin, TX 67-67-70-71–275 -13
T5 Joseph Kinney Antioch, IL 69-70-64-72–275 -13 $4,073.33
T5 Zack Reeves Arlington, TX 67-70-66-72–275 -13 $4,073.33
T9 Mark Walker Hurst, TX 70-69-69-68–276 -12 $2,702.50
T9 Sam Powell Tulsa, OK 73-67-68-68–276 -12 $2,702.50
T9 Cameron Meyers Edmond, OK 70-66-70-70–276 -12 $2,702.50
T9 Joseph McLister Overland Park, KS 68-69-67-72–276 -12 $2,702.50
T13 Greg Mason Tulsa, OK 71-68-68-70–277 -11 $2,008.33
T13 Brad Gehl Carmel, IN 70-65-70-72–277 -11 $2,008.33
T13 Blake Trimble Houston, TX 67-67-68-75–277 -11 $2,008.33
T16 Shawn Jasper Foristell, MO 69-69-69-71–278 -10 $1,796.67
T16 William Kropp Edmond, OK 69-71-69-69–278 -10 $1,796.67
T16 Lance Lopez Richmond, TX 68-70-63-77–278 -10 $1,796.67
T19 Jace Long Dixon, MO 66-72-70-71–279 -9 $1,587.50
T19 Trent Whitekiller Sallisaw, Ok 67-69-70-73–279 -9 $1,587.50
T19 Cameron Bishop Tulsa, OK 70-68-72-69–279 -9 $1,587.50
T19 Nathan Anderson Arlington, TX 66-69-69-75–279 -9 $1,587.50
T23 Ryan O’Rear Belton, TX 66-70-71-73–280 -8 $1,308.33
T23 Fergal Rafferty Carrickmore, Ireland 69-70-68-73–280 -8 $1,308.33
T23 Chris Naegel Chesterfield, MO 67-69-72-72–280 -8 $1,308.33
T23 Blake Redmond Sugar Land, TX 70-69-67-74–280 -8 $1,308.33
T23 Chris Ward McKinney, TX 68-68-69-75–280 -8 $1,308.33
T23 Will Dusenbury League City, TX 71-70-68-71–280 -8 $1,308.33
T29 James Marshall Fayetteville, AR 69-69-70-73–281 -7 $1,040.83
T29 Derek Smith Rogers, AR 67-69-71-74–281 -7 $1,040.83
T29 Sam Fidone Lufkin, TX 66-70-69-76–281 -7 $1,040.83
T29 Freddie Janneck Fort Worth, TX 72-65-73-71–281 -7 $1,040.83
T29 Christopher E. Brown Trophy Club, TX 70-69-71-71–281 -7 $1,040.83
T29 Drew Laning Little Rock, AR 68-67-67-79–281 -7 $1,040.83
T35 Scott Roudebush Dallas, TX 69-68-72-73–282 -6 $906.67
T35 Peter McGibney Dublin, Ireland 71-68-70-73–282 -6 $906.67
T35 Wes Worster Durban, South Africa 67-70-74-71–282 -6 $906.67
T38 Mack Duke Loxley, AL 70-70-70-73–283 -5 $821.67
T38 Chris Gilbert Mckinney, TX 68-71-73-71–283 -5 $821.67
T38 Mitchell Gregson Waterloo, IL 70-71-71-71–283 -5 $821.67
T41 Justin Bryant St. Louis, MO 71-67-69-77–284 -4 $755.00
T41 Chad Ginn Gulfport, MS 69-70-70-75–284 -4 $755.00
T43 Jason Meece Ardmore, OK 69-69-72-75–285 -3 $697.50
T43 Curtis Donahoe League City, TX 70-70-72-73–285 -3 $697.50
45 Rhein Gibson Edmond, OK 66-72-72-76–286 -2 $660.00
46 Craig McCoy Plano, TX 70-67-74-76–287 -1 $640.00
T47 Vilhelm Bogstrand Oslo, Norway 69-69-75-77–290 +2 $610.00
T47 Tyler Gann Tomball, TX 73-67-73-77–290 +2 $610.00