Bluff's Godwin digs out of hole to win his second amateur title

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ben Godwin sank a 25-foot putt on the 34th hole of match play Sunday to complete his comeback and win the Missouri Amateur Golf Championship 3 and 2 over Brian Haskell.

Godwin, who also won the Missouri Amateur title in 2003, was down by four after the first 18 holes of the 36-hole match.

The Poplar Bluff, Mo., native took charge on the eighth hole of the day's second round when he holed out from 60 yards to even the match. The same thing happened three years ago, when trailing at No. 8 of the final round, he also holed out from the fairway.

"I wasn't trying to make [the shot], that's for sure," Godwin said. "I had a lot of momentum going from there."

Haskell, of St. Joseph, said his strategy going into the final 18 holes was to play steady golf and make Godwin come after him.

"I figured if I could just make pars, it would make him have to make birdies to beat me, and that's exactly what he did," Haskell said. "He didn't make many mistakes, and I couldn't catch him."

Godwin became the 16th player to win the Missouri Amateur more than once.