Storybook ending spoiled, as Sam Stevens’ bid for Wichita Open title falls short

All eyes were fixated on Sam Stevens, the hometown hero who entered the 72nd hole of the Wichita Open on Sunday afternoon tied atop the leaderboard.

All eyes except those of Taylor Dickson, who instead nervously paced the driving range at Crestview Country Club while the fate of the golf tournament was being determined on the 18th green.

The range is where the 31-year-old Korn Ferry Tour pro waited out the final group at the Chile Classic back in March when he won his first title this season. It might just be his lucky spot.

A 21-foot par attempt by Stevens slid past the hole, the pro-Wichita gallery groaned and off in the distance, Dickson, a North Carolina native who graduated from Winthrop, celebrated with his caddie — now in prime position to follow in Stevens’ footsteps and reach the PGA Tour.

“(Stevens) is from here, so they should be cheering for him. He’s an awesome guy,” said Dickson, who won $180,000 in prize money with the victory. “I hate to be the guy who comes to steal it, but that’s the nature of the game.”

Dickson has his own inspiring tale, more than worthy of celebrating as a champion, but even he could acknowledge that on Sunday, in those circumstances, he felt like he had played the role of “spoiler” to what would have been a memorable chapter in the sterling legacy of the Stevens, Wichita’s golfing family of royalty.

The family tree begins with Johnny, Sam’s grandfather, considered by many to be the best amateur golfer in Kansas history and the only golfer in the state to ever win the Junior Amateur, Amateur and Senior Amateur. Charlie, Sam’s father, was also a standout golfer and won the 2010 Kansas Amateur, while Sam has added to the family legacy with a slew of high school championships while at Kapaun Mt. Carmel, the 2015 Kansas Amateur title and currently on his two-year run on the PGA Tour.

Sam could have taken this week off to rest, but instead the 27-year-old returned to Wichita to play in the Korn Ferry event he used to desperately want to play in for the first time. And up until the final two holes on Sunday, it appeared the Wichita native was poised to add a unique trophy to his collection.

After back-to-back 6-under rounds of 63, Stevens enjoyed a three-shot advantage entering Sunday. Even without his best golf on his home course, Stevens held a one-shot lead standing on the tee box of the par-3 No. 17.

That’s when the storybook ending began to unravel.

Not only did Stevens fail to capitalize on the par-3 playing much shorter than normal, at just 154 yards, he chunked his tee shot and landed well short of the green. A chip shot leaked past the hole and he missed an 18-foot par attempt, but the bogey still kept him level at 19-under with Dickson, who had just finished No. 18 in the group ahead of him.

Needing a birdie to win or a par to force a playoff, Stevens’ tee shot on No. 18 faded and landed behind a pack of trees in the right-hand rough. The trees likely affected his approach shot, which landed in the green-side bunker on the right side. His sand shot came out a bit too hot, landing near the hole and running by and leaving him with a 21-foot putt for a scramble par.

Hundreds of onlookers lining the stands and the edge of the green, ranging from family to friends to fellow Kapaun graduates to Crestview members to Wichita fans who simply wanted to see the hometown hero prevail watched and silently tried to will the ball into the hole as Stevens made contact.

But the crowd that so badly wanted to erupt could only emit a low groan, as Stevens’ putt passed an inch by the right side of the hole. In the end, Stevens led the tournament with 26 birdies at Crestview, but an even-par score of 70 on Sunday came up one stroke shy of Dickson, who closed with a 5-under 65.

“Couldn’t be happier,” said Dickson before receiving his championship propeller to signify his victory at the Wichita Open.

“I didn’t really expect to be in it at the end there. I mean, Sam’s an unbelievable player, but that’s just golf.”

It was a devastating ending for Stevens, without question, but he preached all week about perspective. He wasn’t grinding week-to-week for his PGA Tour card, rather this week in Wichita was what he considered “a free roll.”

In the immediate aftermath of what must have felt like a gut punch, Stevens was still gracious in defeat, taking time to briefly greet fans and sign autographs for children walking back to the clubhouse.

There was no storybook ending on Sunday, but Stevens now returns to the PGA Tour, where he has registered six top-25 finishes this season and currently ranks No. 94 in the FedExCup standings.

It might hurt for one night, but Stevens is still in the midst of living out his dream.

Results of Wichita Area Women’s Golf Association tournament

Denise Desilet (senior) and Paula Routon (super senior) were named the overall champions in their respective divisions at the Wichita Area Women’s Golf Association senior and super-senior tournament played at Sim Park on June 12-13. Full results can be found below:

Seniors

Overall champion—Denise Desilet. Overall net champion—Kelli Dome. First flight gross—1. Annie Johnsen; Susan Mueller. First flight net—1. Danell Wilbur; 2. Nancy Knopp. Second flight gross—1. Echo Tung; 2. Deanna Bush. Second flight net—1. Cheryl Greiving; 2. Denise Denning.

Super seniors

Overall champion—Paula Routon. Overall net champion—Mary Troy. First flight gross—1. Vicky Hiebsch; 2. Pat Totten. First flight net—1. Shirley Blick; 2. Deb Slater. Second flight gross—1. Pam Miller; 2. Bev Dilsaver-Millan. Second flight net—1. Jan Schraeder; 2. Sharon Hamrick.

Nine-hole division

Overall champion—Terri Wittrig. Overall net champion—Donna Caywood. First flight gross—Judy Carlson. First flight net—Linda Mease.