COLUMBUS
The way things turned out, a one-shot penalty assessed to Sean Rowen didn’t make a difference.
But going into the final hole of Thursday’s final round, that penalty looked like it would be the deciding factor in the 44-year-old Greenwood resident being unable to secure his second Indiana Amateur title in four years. He finished second, three shots behind Cole Bradley of West Lafayette.
Rowen and Bradley had been in a back-and-forth battle all day at Otter Creek, and on No. 12, Rowen violated the local lift, clean and place rule. After marking his ball, cleaning it and replacing it, he moved it with his club, which is not allowed.
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“It was my fault,” Rowen said. “I should have known better. I didn’t do it properly, and they weren’t sure what the penalty was, so it took them a while to figure out whether it’s a one- or two-shot penalty.”
The rules committee deliberated and even contacted PGA National to confirm that the penalty was one shot rather than two shots. By the time it was determined, Rowen and Bradley were on No. 16.
In the meantime, Rowen birdied Nos. 13 and 15 to take a one-shot lead with three holes to play.
“We really didn’t know really where I stood for about four holes,” Rowen said. “I kind of felt bad for the guys I was playing with. They’re trying to win the tournament, and they’re not sure where they stand — whether they’re one back or they’re tied.”
Rowen hit his approach in a bunker and bogeyed No. 16, falling back into a tie with Bradley. Bradley then birdied No. 17, while Rowen just missed his birdie putt, leaving him one shot back going into No. 18.
On the par-5 No. 18, Bradley hit his third shot within about a foot of the hole. Rowen then missed short in a bunker and bogeyed, while Bradley tapped in for birdie and a three-shot win.
“I had to try to get it close, and I just caught it a hair heavy,” Rowen said. “I knew after he had hit his shot, I pretty much had to make it to have a chance.”
Rowen, who played at Cathedral High School and University of Iowa and later on the Hooters Tour for about three years, won the Indiana Amateur the last time it was played at Otter Creek in 2015.
He finished at 1-under 71 for the final round and 10-under 278 for the tournament. He shot 68, 69 and 70 his first three rounds.
“I had a good week,” Rowen said. “I hit the ball really well. I did a lot of things really well. The par-5s, looking back, are probably one thing I wish I’d have done a little better. But I can’t ask for a whole lot more.”
Meanwhile, another Greenwood resident came away with a top-five finish. Ethan Shepherd, a 2017 Center Grove graduate who will be a sophomore at Indiana University, tied for fifth at 4-under 284.
Shepherd was 4 under through seven holes on Thursday. He didn’t miss a green in regulation on the front nine but three-putted No. 9.
“I was really hitting well and made a few putts,” Shepherd said. “Then, I had had a three-putt on 9, and it kind of cost me, and that’s kind of where the momentum switched.”
Shepherd, who finished second in the 2016 Indiana Amateur, had rounds of 75 and 69 Monday and Tuesday before closing with back-to-back 70s.
“Other than the first day, I played pretty well,” Shepherd said. “So I’ll definitely take away some positive things.”
Two other Greenwood residents played all 72 holes after making the cut to the final two rounds. Austin Crowder shot 74 Thursday and finished in a tie for 29th at 297, while Joshua Oldham had a final-round 78 to put him in a tie for 46th at 304.