Jake Peacock birdies final hole to win second straight Georgia Amateur

Peacock putted first and hit his birdie hard up the hill, where it sank into the cup. Seconds later, Jones left his putt, allowing Peacock to hoist the Robert H. Martin Trophy for the second straight year.

“When we got to the green, he looked at me and said, ‘I’m going to make that putt,’” said Jackson Enebertg, Peacock’s best friend and caddie. “I just told him, ‘Trust him.’ And he made it.”

Peacock, who will be a senior this fall at South Florida, shot a 70 (-2) on Sunday to finish at 13 (-278), while Jones, who will be a sophomore at Georgia Southern, shot a 68 (tying the low score of the day) to finish at 12 (-279).

Cartersville’s RB Clyburn (68) and Atlanta native Hayes Brown (70), who plays at Wofford, are tied for third at 8 under. Atlanta’s William Love (70), the 2022 Georgia Am champion, and Kennesaw left-hander Cooper Tendick (73), who plays at West Florida, are tied for fifth at 7 under.

“I’m still trying to process that, that ending,” Peacock said. “It was an incredible battle. Brycen certainly didn’t make it easy, the way it went all day. But it’s exactly what you dream of, to put yourself in that situation and get that bomb in the 18th to seal the deal was pretty special.”

Peacock becomes the first player to defend his Georgia Amateur title since Russell Henley won back-to-back titles in 2008-09. LaGrange’s Allen Doyle, a Georgia Golf Hall of Famer who has won a record seven championships, won back-to-back titles twice, in 1978-79 and 1987-88.

Peacock led by five shots after the fourth hole. But Jones birdied three of four holes on the opening hole to shoot a 34, then added four more birdies on the final nine. He tied Peacock with a birdie on No. 15 and both made 10-foot birdie putts on No. 16 to stay even.

That’s how things went until the 18th. After Peacock made his long birdie putt, all eyes were on Jones. His putt never threatened the cup and he put his hands on his knees in disbelief.

“He made a really good putt, and I thought I made a really good putt,” Jones said. “It just didn’t turn at me. I hit my line. That’s the way golf works.”

The win was similar to Peacock’s last year at Rivermont Golf Club, where he overcame a stretch that included two bogeys and a double bogey. He continued his winning ways when he returned to school and ended up winning the American Athletic Conference championship and leading the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament.

The win earns Peacock an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship and Jones Cup. The top five finishers are exempt from the final round of qualifying for the U.S. Am.

“I didn’t qualify for the US Am,” Peacock said. “I’ve been close every year, which is fantastic. It’s a relief to know I’m going to be in the US Am.”