David Berganio Jr.

David Berganio Jr. gathered steam in the second 18 of the final match against defending champion Michael Combs, made up a three-hole deficit from the morning round, and went on to win, 3 and 2, at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, at Otter Creek Golf Club.

Berganio, a senior at the University of Arizona, became the second consecutive player to claim both the qualifying medalist honors and the title. The shot five-under-par 139, including a 67 for his second round, which was two shots better than the 141 posted by David Woliner, of Brick, New Jersey, who lasted until the quarterfinal round of match play.

Combs, meanwhile, settled in at 149. Combs, a recent graduate of the University of Washington, got off to a solid start in his bid to become only the fifth back-to-back champion at the APL. He ripped through the second nine of the morning round in 33 and won four of the last seven holes to hold a 3-hole advantage at the break.

Combs' play soured in the afternoon and Berganio rallied. He made two birdies and 11 pars to open the afternoon round and climbed ahead. He lost only one hole to Combs in the afternoon round.

The match was closed out at the 466-yard 16th hole, where Combs' approach shot nestled up to the trunk of a pine tree beside the green. The result was a double-bogey 6, and Berganio celebrated. He had reached match play a year ago, in Portland, Oregon, but list in the second round and caddied for finalist Terrence Miskell the rest of the way.

This time Berganio was solid through the match play, except in his second round match. He let a couple of 2-up leads slip away before stopping Todd Thiele, of Pittsburgh, Pa., on the 19th hole. He defeated Eric Frishette, of Carroll, Ohio, 3 and 2, in his semifinal. Combs started slowly in match play, winning a couple by 1 up. But his quarterfinal and semifinal match, against Mark Takahama, of Kahului, Havaii, were both ended at 5 and 4.