June 29, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. - University of Maryland junior Hunter Bendall won his second straight championship recently at the Richmond Golf Association Men's Amateur Tournament.

He earned the title with a 1-up victory over Mark Lange at the Willow Oaks Country Club. He became the first player since 1996 to win back-to-back titles.

Bendall, a graduate of Richmond's Douglas Freeman High, won two of his matches in extra holes and two others at 1-up. Only in the semifinal did Bendall close a match without playing the 18th hole, earning a 2-and-1 win.

"I didn't have any easy matches," Bendall told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "I hit a lot of shots high right and the putter wasn't great, but I hung in there all day."

Bendall, who held a 2-up lead through nine holes, built his lead to 3-up with three holes to play. Lange birdied the 16th and 17th holes to draw close, but the two players halved the 18th with pars to give Bendall the win.

This spring, Bendall cracked the Maryland lineup and had a solid season. He finished second on the team with a 75.7 scoring average in the spring, with his best finish being a tie for eighth at the William & Mary Invitational.

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