- December 27, 2024
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Andrew Novak tees off from the No. 1 hole to start his Sunday. Novak won the tournament at 23 under par.
Peter Uihlein, Andrew Novak and Jack Maguire all used their college bags on Sunday.
The crowds at the LECOM Suncoast Classic were large. Tournament director Justin Kristich said approximately 20,000 tickets were sold for the event.
Tampa native Jimmy Stanger, here hitting on the No. 2 tee, finished 16 under par.
Robert Garrigus hits his second shot on the 11th hole. Garrigus finished 18 under par.
Julie Jordan and Jesse Colunga said the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic could not have been more fun.
The crowd following the leaders was large on Sunday.
John Chin finished in second place (22 under par) at the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
File photoVolunteer Carolyn Reist was in what she called the "sitting duck" position on the No. 1 hole, meaning she has to constant watch for balls headed her way.
T.J. Vogel tees off during the LECOM Suncoast Classic. Vogel finished 19 under par.
Andrew Novak chats with his caddie.
Former Masters champion Mike Weir finished 17 under par for the tournament, seven under par on Sunday.
Volunteer Bryan Veith carries the leaderboard for the group of Andrew Novak, Peter Uihlein and Jack Maguire.
Andrew Novak stares at the 10-foot putt between him and victory.
Ronnie, Jenn and Dylanger Appel received a ball from golfer Ben Kohles shortly after arriving on Sunday.
Some groups of Lakewood National residents camped out behind their homes to watch the tournament.
Greyson Sigg chips onto the green in front of the grandstand on the 18th hole. Sigg's second shot landed in the grandstand.
Greyson Sigg barely misses a putt. He finished 20 under par for the tournament.
Taylor Montgomery pumps his first after a birdie on 17 to take the lead. Montgomery would finish third (21 under par).
Ed Simays volunteered all four days of the LECOM Suncoast Classic. On Sunday, he worked the 18th hole tee box.
Andrew Novak pumps his fist after a birdie on the 18th hole won him the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
File photoAndrew Novak kisses his girlfriend, Maddie Myers, after winning the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Andrew Novak puts on the honorary white dental jacket after winning the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic.
Andrew Novak addresses the crowd at Lakewood National. He credited the fans with creating a great atmosphere all week, especially on Sunday.
Andrew Novak drinks a celebratory beer out of the LECOM Suncoast Classic trophy, a tradition started by Mark Hubbard last year.
Andrew Novak relishes in victory while pointing at the beer-filled LECOM Suncoast Classic trophy.
The 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic, held at Lakewood National Golf Club, saw no golfer take a commanding lead all week.
The final day was no exception, featuring a roller coaster of a leaderboard and constant pressure on those navigating it. Six golfers held a share of the lead at some point on Sunday, and the man who won only grabbed a solo lead on a final 10-foot putt, which he capped with a pump of his fist and a victory holler.
Andrew Novak, a 24-year-old originally from Raleigh, N.C., won the tournament with a birdie on the 18th hole to finish 23 under par, one stroke better than John Chin, who parred the final hole. Novak shot six under par on the final day, with seven birdies and one bogey. It is Novak's first win as a professional golfer. Novak has been on the Korn Ferry Tour since 2018. He took home a trophy and $108,000, in addition to taking a big step in getting his PGA Tour card.
"This is awesome," Novak said. "I honestly can only remember half of what has happened in the last 30 minutes, but this is crazy.
"I like playing in front of people. I like crowds. This was the perfect stadium feel for me. I like making people cheer. The crowd gave me a big ovation as I was walking to the (18th) green. I definitely felt the love."
Novak's 2020 Suncoast Classic performance was much better than his 2019 performance, when he shot eight over par and missed the cut. Despite the poor results, Novak said, he liked the course and thought it matched with his strengths; he just was off his game. Novak said he was feeling good about his game after finishing tied for ninth in last week's Country Club de Bogota Championship, and a few practice rounds at Lakewood National reminded him of the potential opportunity the course provided him.
"There are a lot of holes you can get, but you have to be smart about it," Novak said. "There might be an easy birdie hole (for example), but if you're left of the hole, you're not going to get it. You have to think your way around it, think one or two shots ahead. 'Where do I want to be to attack this hole?' or 'Where can I make a birdie?' Or even par. On this course, there's three or four holes where par is a great score."
Chin, playing in the group in front of Novak, tied third-place Taylor Montgomery (21 under par) for the best individual round of the day, shooting eight under par, but missed a birdie opportunity on 18 that would have in hindsight forced a playoff. Behind Montgomery, David Kocher, Chandler Blanchet and Greyson Sigg tied for fourth at 20 under par.
