Riley Wins Nationwide Tour Title

Former UNLV golfer won Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby on Sunday.

Former UNLV golfer Chris Riley won a Nationwide Tour event title on Sunday.
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June 17, 2007

BYRON, Minn. (Associated Press) - Former Rebel golfer and Ryder Cup player Chris Riley won the Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby in windy conditions Sunday, beating NCAA champion Jamie Lovemark with a par on the second hole of a playoff.

Riley, the former UNLV star who won the 2002 Reno-Tahoe Open and played in the 2004 Ryder Cup, two-putted from 99 feet for birdie on the 72nd hole for a 2-under 70 to match Lovemark at 16-under 272 on the Somerby Golf Club course.

"I wasn't thinking I had to shoot a certain number today," said Riley, who began play a stroke behind third-round leaders Esteban Toledo and Jay Delsing. "I knew it was going to be tough. Jamie Lovemark played some great golf today."

Lovemark, the Southern California star who capped his freshman season with the NCAA title two weeks ago in Williamsburg, Va., closed with a 65. He was attempting to become the first amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event.

Riley, who earned $90,000 for his first Nationwide Tour title, won on the 150-yard, par-3 17th after matching Lovemark with a par on the par-5 18th on the first extra hole.

"The story of my week was my putter," said Riley, who averaged 28.25 putts per round. "It's the first week I've used this putter in over a year. I wasn't making many putts so I went into my closet and pulled out my old Ping Answer. I made everything I had to this week, so that guy will stay with me for a while."

Lovemark missed a 5-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole. After sending a pitching wedge into a greenside bunker on the second extra hole, he missed a 25-foot par putt by inches to give Riley the victory.

"I really didn't know what to expect," Lovemark said. "This is the second-best tour in the world and I learned a lot from playing with guys like this."

Toledo (73) and Greg Chalmers (72) tied for third at 14 under. Delsing (74), Gary Christian (71), Jeremy Anderson (72), Lee Williamson (72), Richard Johnson (72) and Patrick Sheehan (72) followed at 13 under.