It was a much different path for Parker Edens this year, but the destination was the same as last year.

The Brookings golfer earned his second straight South Dakota Golf Association Men’s Mid-Amateur championship Sunday at Moccasin Creek Country Club after winning a one-hole playoff against two other golfers.

Last year the South Dakota State University men’s golf coach won the same tourney by nearly 10 strokes, but “was tested a little bit more for sure,” in his attempt to defend his title.

Edens entered the day two shots off the lead. Chris Long of Presho shot a 71 on Sunday and was in the clubhouse with a one-over par two-day total of 145 as Edens and opening-round leader Ryan Anema of Harrisburg were still on the course.

After Edens and Anema both bogied hole 17, both men needed a birdie on 18 to force a playoff and both delivered.

“Normally I probably wouldn’t have hit three-wood, but I had 252 front and thought if I smashed three wood I could get there, and I hit it really good and it came up 40 yards short,” Edens said of his drive on the final hole of regulation. “I hit a great pitch in there. I was a little bit more aggressive. I had a good lie out in the fairway and felt like it was the play.”

The first playoff hole happened to be hole 18, and again, Edens stayed aggressive and had the best drive of the three golfers off the tee.

“I hit a really good tee shot and I was probably 25 yards closer on the second shot,” Edens said, “so I was for sure going to go for it there.”

Edens all but secured the championship with his third shot, which he putted onto the green less than a foot from the hole.

“It was a great putt from down there. I hit some really good putts from off the green like that in the last couple days,” Edens said. “I kind of thought about chipping it, but it was putt the whole way I think. I just had to get comfortable with it and hit another good one.”

From there, it was basically a tap in for birdie to win the title.

Edens said he played inconsistent during the two-day tourney, but definitely saved his best for last.

“Just did not have my best stuff. Made a lot of sloppy bogies, a lot of fire and ice really this week for me, just my game-wise,” Edens said, “a lot of really good stuff, a lot of bad stuff, and fortunately some really good stuff came at the very end.”

Edens was pleased with another state championship and will try to use it as a springboard for the upcoming season.

“It’s great,” Edens said. “To win back to back is pretty special and summer is off to a good start.”

Cramer Johnson was the top local finisher. The Aberdeen man ended up in a tie for sixth with a 36-hole total of 150 after stumbling a bit down the stretch.

“I played well (Saturday). I knew I had a shot coming into today, but I guess it wasn’t meant to be today,” Johnson said. “I had a couple of bad breaks, but it’s part of the game.”

Johnson was still in contention heading into the final nine holes, only to encounter a rough stretch.

“I wish I could have played better today. I had a shot. I was like one under with 10 to play,” Johnson said. “I had a three-hole stretch where I was four over, so then it just kind of went south from there. I definitely had a shot with a few holes left, a little unfortunate.”

To see complete tournaments results, click on the following link:

https://www.sdga.org/golf_event/mens-mid-amateur-championship