Krsnich, Novascone claim crown, 4 and 3

Alvamar’s 12th hole might be Pete Krsnich’s new favorite hole.

The Kansas University sophomore sunk a 12-foot putt Friday on No. 12 to put himself and teammate Jason Novascone into the Kansas Golf Assn. Fourball finals, and he nailed a birdie putt Saturday on the same hole to move him and Novascone 2-up.

The pair won the next two holes and halved No. 15 with Julien Trudeau and Nick Underwood to win the match play title, 4 and 3.

“The turning point was kind of on 12,” Novascone said. “Julian and Pete hit it close and then Pete happened to make it and put the pressure on and Julian missed. That put us back at 2-up and from there those guys hit bad tee shots on 13 that put them in trouble. Pretty much today, we made putts when we had to and they couldn’t come close. They didn’t make anything today.”

Krsnich and Novascone, a Wichita State University student, won the first hole of the 36-hole championship match, but quickly trailed by one as Trudeau and Underwood birdied Nos. 2 and 3.

The eventual champions fought back to 1-up through the first 18 holes with six birdies, including four on the back nine.

“You don’t really get too worried when it’s 36 holes,” Krsnich said of the early deficit, “but you don’t want to stay down for too long obviously. But just to finish the first 18 1-up was big, just to get that small cushion.”

The duo quickly turned the small cushion into a throw pillow, taking a 3-up lead with birdies on the 19th and 20th holes of the championship, Nos. 1 and 2 on the course.

Trudeau and Underwood, teammates of Novascone at WSU, drew within two holes with a birdie chip by Trudeau after Krsnich had just missed a similar shot.

“It seemed like they got a little bit flustered,” Krsnich said, “but then they chipped in on 6 (the 24th hole) and being 3-up and being 2-up is a big difference. We really had to gut it out there for a while, especially on 8 (the 26th hole).”

Underwood’s approach on No. 8 landed just off the green and his chip shot struck the pin but didn’t fall and the teams halved the hole.

After splitting the 27th hole, Underwood sunk a 12-foot birdie putt on the 28th to move within one, but Krsnich’s birdie on the 30th started a streak of three straight birdies that put the tournament out of reach for the Shockers duo.

“Coming back into the back nine, something’s always going to happen in fourball,” Krsnich said. “But they made a birdie on 10, I thought I made one on 11 but missed, and then Julien hit it close on 12 and if he makes that it’s even and it’s a whole new six-hole match.”

It would have been a six-hole match if Underwood hadn’t fallen victim to the pin again, too. His chip on 12 from just off the fringe struck the pin but, instead of falling in and halving the hole, the ball bounced out and rolled away.

“I had a couple that I really thought were going down that came back out,” Underwood said, “but that’s the way it goes. Next time they might drop.”

After a birdie on the 31st hole, Novascone birdied the 32nd, which the pair had been having problems with all day.

“Both times, we hit what we thought were pretty good shots off the tee,” Krsnich said, “and it’s a tricky hole and they have the tees up farther than we’re used to. I thought Novascone didn’t even have a shot where he was but ‘Novie’ put it up there real tight and made birdie, which is incredible.”

Down four with four holes left, Trudeau left his uphill birdie putt short and Underwood ran his right of the hole, ending the match on the 33rd hole.