Flanagan Wins Playoff, Qualifies for Genesis Invitational

National

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Angus Flanagan had to work overtime, but he won a playoff with a birdie on the third extra hole on Monday in the Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase. And with that victory, the University of Minnesota senior earned a spot in this week's PGA Tour event -- the Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club. 

The Showcase was also played at Riviera. Flanagan tied the University of San Francisco's Tim Widing for first in a field of seven with an even-par 71. Both players parred the first two holes in the playoff, but then Flanagan made a 15-foot putt for his birdie on the 434-yard, par-4 third. Kyle Petrovich of Oakland finished one shot behind Flanagan and Widing, with a 72. 

This will be the second PGA Tour start for Flanagan, who is from Woking, England, but hopes to play on the American tour in the not-too-distant future. Last summer, he won the Minnesota State Open and by virtue of that earned a place in the 3M Open the following week at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine. He posted a pair of 73's in the 3M tournament and missed the cut by six strokes. 

On Monday, Flanagan was paired with PGA Tour regular Denny McCarthy (currently No. 96 on the money list with $434,932). McCarthey was impressed. "He (Flanagan) has a really solid game, good enough to play at this level, I think." 

Flanagan trailed both Widing and Petrovich early in the back nine, but was in position get the one spot that was available Monday by the time he reached the 18th hole (451 yards, par 4). He made a bogey there, and walked off the green thinking that he was going miss qualifying by a single stroke.

McCarthy told him: "Even though it didn't work out today, you have great things ahead of you."

As it turns out, one of those things will be this week. The Genesis Invitational starts Thursday, with a star-studded field that includes seven of the top 10 players in the Official World Golf Rankings. 

Widing, playing behind Flanagan, had a putt for 70, but it lipped out. 

The Gophers head coach, Justin Smith, was at Riviera for the Showcase on Monday, and he might caddy for his star player in the tournament. He thinks Flanagan's game is well suited to Riviera.

"Angus drives it amazing. He plays well," Smith said. "His iron control. . .I mean, he's just a great ball-striker. You have to control your ball to get it to the right places on these greens." 

Flanagan won the Big Ten Conference individual championship as a sophomore in 2019, but he didn't get a chance to defend the title in 2020. All college sports in the United States, like nearly all professional sports, were suspended in March, as the Covid 19 pandemic swept the country. All conference championships and the NCAA tournament were cancelled. Big Ten schools also cancelled all fall sports events, except for football. So it's been 11 months since Flanagan teed it up for the Gophers.

Nevertheless, Flanagan was able to play in competition last summer, and he had a remarkably successful 2020. In addition to winning the State Open, he was the medalist at the Western Amateur, and he won the Minnesota Golf Champions crown in the fall.    


Genesis Invitational College Showcase 

At Riviera Country Club

Par 71, 7,040 yards

1. Angus Flanagan, University of Minnesota    71 (won playoff with birdie on 3rd extra hole)

2. Tim Widing, San Francisco                               71

3. Kyle Petrovich, Oakland                                   72

4. Callum Bruce, San Diego State                        75

5. Alex Goff, Kentucky                                          76

6. Bryce Waters, Wyoming                                   77

7. Kyle Suppa, USC                                              78


Showcase winners

2021 -- Angus Flanagan, Minnesota

2020 -- Sean Yu, San Jose

2019 -- Lukas Euler, Kentucky

2018 -- Scottie Scheffler, Texas

2017 -- Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine

2016 -- Charlie Danielson, Illinois 

2015 -- Will Zalatoris, Wake Forest