College golfer wins PGA Tour exemption after 3-hole playoff in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. — It took 57 holes, but Sihan Sandhu earned a PGA Tour start Sunday. The sophomore at North Carolina beat Georgia Southern's Thomas Horne on the third playoff hole to win the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational at Forest Hills, about 3 miles from Augusta National Golf Club.
The 16 teams in the field have Masters practice tickets on Monday, but Sunday, Sandhu's playoff win earned him a exemption into the PGA Tour's 3M Open this summer in Minnesota. Sandhu and Hearn finished tied at 15 under following 54 holes of stroke play, but Sandhu gave North Carolina the sweep with his playoff victory. Sandhu made a 3-footer for birdie on the third playoff hole to earn the win.
The 15-under 201 mark was the best of his collegiate career. He fired a 6-under 66 on Sunday to get into a playoff, and the Tar Heels topped defending national champion Oklahoma State by 15 shots to win the team title. North Carolina finished at 54 under.
Pepperdine's Mahanth Chirravuri and UNC's Nial Sheils Donegan tied for third at 14 under. In the team race, Pepperdine and LSU finished third and fourth, respectively. Oklahoma State's Ethan Fang, who is playing in the Masters, finished solo 10th.
He's one of six amateurs teeing it up at Augusta National . This article originally appeared on Golfweek: North Carolina claims Augusta Haskins Award Invitational title