SMU teammates Baxter, Buchanan win U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title

SMU teammates Baxter and Buchanan win the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball golf championship.

Benjamin Baxter and Andrew Buchanan

By FOX Sports Staff

SMU teammates Benjamin Baxter and Andrew Buchanan on Wednesday won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball championship, beating the duo of Brandon Cigna and Ben Warnquist 3-and-2 in the final at Winged Foot Golf Club.

Baxter and Buchanan needed a rally in their semifinal match earlier in the day, and they would need another one in the final. Cigna and Warnquist went one up early thanks to a par on the second hole. Baxter and Buchanan fought back to make it all square after 11, and then the wheels came off for the Maryland natives.

Baxter and Buchanan birdied the 12th to take their first lead of the match, then Cigna and Warnquist bogeyed the 14th and 15th to fall three down with three to play. The teams made par on the 16th, handing the match to Baxter and Buchanan.

Both squads beat higher-seeded opponents earlier in Wednesday's semifinals. Baxter and Buchanan, the No. 9 seeds, beat No. 4 seeds Patrick Christovich and Garrett Rank 2-and-1. Cigna and Warnquist took out No. 15 Otto Black and Colin Joseph 2-up.

That semifinal match wasn't as easy as it looks for Baxter and Buchanan. They were four down after five holes before rallying to win.

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