Mid-Round Birdie Spree Propels Peterson to Victory at Verrado; Metzger Is T8, White T10

BUCKEYE, Ariz. -- Having started Wednesday's final round with a one-stroke lead, Paul Peterson was just treading water for the first six holes at Verrado Golf Club as he played them in even par. But the 26-year-old Oregon State alumnus then birdied four of the next five holes, and that burst carried him to a three-stroke victory in Tournament #2 on the eGolf/Gateway Tour's West Coast Series.

Peterson, who spent most of 2014 on the Asia Tour (he was No. 22 on the money list with more than $150,000), got started in the right direction with a birdie at the 540-yard, par-5 seventh hole. He added another birdie at the par-4 ninth (382 yards) and followed that with birdies at the 515-yard, par-5 10th and 422-yard, par-4 11th to pull away from his pursuers. He clinched the deal with one final birdie at the 422-yard, par-4 16th and finished with a 5-under-par 67.

His 54-hole total of 201 was good for a three-stroke victory -- and $14,000.

Tom Whitney, who lost a playoff for the title last week in Tournament #1 at Papago GC, was second again at Verrado. This time, he was part of a three-way tie at 204, along with Andrew Yun and Jimmy Gunn. Gunn closed with a 64, Yunn with a 65 and Whitney with a 67. That was worth $5,800 to each of them, and Whitney now leads the West Coast Fall/Winter money list with $23,100 in five events. 

Andre Metzger, the former leading money winner on the Dakotas Tour, shot 72 on Wednesday and slipped from second into a tie for eighth at 208.

Cameron White, the former Wayzata High School and University of Minnesota star, got off to a unfortunate start. He suffered a triple bogey on the ninth hole during his first round on the way to a 74, but he rallied with a 68 to make the cut on the number and closed with a 67, which moved him up into a tie for 10th at 209. It was his second top-10 finish in a row. He's made $5,129 in the two tournaments he's played and is No. 19 on the money list.

Right behind him on the list, with $4,530 in four events, is Rodney Hamblin, the former Minnesota State Junior Boys champion from St. Paul. He tied for 16th at Verrado with a cumulative 211 (70-71-70).    

eGOLF/GATEWAY TOUR

Winter Tournament #2

At Verrado Golf Club

Par 72, 7,258 yards

Buckeye, Ariz.

Final results 

1. Paul Peterson, Phoenix                      $14,000    70-64-67--201

T2. Tom Whitney, Fort Collins, Colo.         $5,800    70-67-67--204

T2. Andrew Yun, Chandler                        $5,800    66-73-65--204

T2. Jimmy Gunn, Dornach, Scotland         $5,900    71-69-64--204

T8. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls               $2,700    71-65-72--208

T10. Cameron White, Wayzata                $2,679    74-68-67--209

T13. Brady Schnell, Milford, Iowa          $2,250     67-69-74--210

T16. Rodney Hamblin, St. Paul              $1,650     70-71-70--211

Missed cut (142)

Joe Affrunti, Lake Forest, Ill.                                  71-79--150

Casey Vangsness, Alexandria                                 71-74--145