Derek Bard Wins Prestigious Monroe Invitational
PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Derek Bard’s impressive up-and-down on the final hole at Monroe Golf Club earned him the prestigious Monroe Invitational Championship title by one stroke on Saturday.
Related: Full Results
The New Hartford native and member of Cedar Lake Club knocked down three birdies in his final nine holes to propel him past the field.
The race was tight throughout the windy, final day of action on the classic Donald Ross design. Five players finished tied for second, just one stroke shy of Bard’s four-round total of 274.
Not far behind was younger brother and two-time NYS Boys' Champion, Alec Bard, who finished tied for 9th at 3-over 279. Former NYS Mid-Am champion Tim Spitz of the host club and Arthur Griffin of Lake Placid Club both ended up in the top-25.
Next on the recent Virginia graduate’s list is the Sunnehanna Amateur, one of the top amateur golf tournaments in the country. He took home the title two years ago and now sits alongside a high-profile list of winning names including Ricky Fowler, Lucas Glover, Webb Simpson and Ben Crenshaw.
Bard will also take on the mighty Bethpage Black at the 95th NYS Men’s Amateur Championship, a tournament he’s finished in the top-4 at in the past two years.
He plans to turn pro in the fall after taking one more shot at the US Amateur Championship, where he finished as runner-up in 2015.
About the Monroe Invitational Championship
The Monroe Invitational Championship (MIC) is one of the oldest amateur tournaments in the United States, dating back to 1937. Monroe Golf Club has hosted this event for 77 years. The MIC was played as a match play event until the format was changed to 72 holes at stroke play in 1998.
