Rustand fires final round 69 to win Gladstan Open

PAYSON — Utah Valley University golf coach Clark Rustand, with a hot start and steady finish on Sunday, took home the Gladstan Open title by two shots over two-time defending champion Chris Moody.

Rustand fired a closing 3-under par 69 to go with his opening-round 73. Moody, an assistant at Riverside Country Club, also opened with a 73 on Saturday and shot 1-under 71 on Sunday to narrowly miss winning his third straight Gladstan title.

Mark Owen and J. R. Shears finished tied for third at 2-over par 146, four back of Rustand and two behind Moody. First-round leader Tracy Zobell shot 76, after opening with a 72, to finish alone in fifth at 148.

It became a three-man battle early as Zobell shot a 37 on the front side while Rustand made the turn at 4-under par on the day with Moody and Shears close behind after shooting 3-under 33s on the front. Shears then fell back with a tough 4-over 40 on the back nine, while Rustand and Moody stayed in a back-and-forth battle.

When Rustand made double-bogey six on No. 11 he fell back into a tie with Moody. But Rustand then birdied No. 12 while Moody made bogey to go back ahead by two shots. With a bogey by Rustand on the par-3 13th and a birdie by Moody on the par-5 14, the two began the path back to the clubhouse tied.

With a birdie on the par-4 15th, however, Rustand took the lead for good. Needing a birdie on the final hole to tie, Moody hooked his drive left into the hazard, allowing Rustand to take a comfortable two-shot win with a par on the 18th.

This year the championship amateurs played one tee box in front of the pros and, therefore, were competing for a separate title. Utah's Brady Machin took home low amateur honors by adding a 70 on Sunday to go with Saturday's 69 to defeat the fast-charging Jordan Rodgers by one stroke. Rodgers shot a blistering 8-under 64 on Sunday to give Machin a scare.

Daniel Reid and Jon Christensen finished tied for third at 144, five shots behind Machin. Robbie Fillmore finished all alone in fifth at 145.

E-MAIL: jimr@desnews.com

Gladstan Open

Final results

Par-72 Gladstan Golf Course

Professionals (black tees)

142 - Clark Rustand (73-69)

144 - Chris Moody (73-71)

146 - J. R. Shears (73-73), Mark Owen (74-72)

148 - Tracy Zobell (72-76)

149 - Brent Moyes (78-71)

150 - Ryan Rhees (77-73), Shyler Andreason (75-75), Bruce Summerhays Jr. (77-73)

151 - Casey Fowles (73-78), Henry White (78-73), Kim Thompson (78-73)

152 - Chris Gresh (77-75)

153 - Ryan Kartchner (76-77)

Championship flight amateurs (blues tees)

139 - Brady Machin (69-70)

140 - Jordan Rodgers (76-64)

144 - Daniel Reid (74-70), Jon Christensen (70-74)

145 - Robbie Fillmore (74-71)

147 - Tyson Lund (74-73), Nick Nelson (77-70)

148 - Tadd Cox (71-78), Jeff Jolley (75-73)

149 - Joe Webber (78-71)