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Sports

Wittenberg wins in Wichita

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Wichita, KS – Casey Wittenberg fired a 5-under 66 on Sunday to come from behind and win the Wichita Open.

Wittenberg finished the tournament at 18-under-par 266 to earn his second title of the season. He won the Louisiana Open by a massive 8-stroke margin in March.

The 27-year-old had a slightly smaller cushion Sunday, when he finished 2 shots ahead of Justin Hicks and Jim Herman.

Herman had carried a two-stroke advantage over Wittenberg into the final round, but managed just a 1-under 70 to end at minus-16. He was joined in second place by Hicks, who shot a 67.

Scott Gardiner (65), Joseph Bramlett (68), Hudson Swafford (68) and Brice Garnett (69) shared fourth place at 13-under.

Wittenberg and Herman played in the final group and, initially, it looked as if Herman's lead was safe. Both players made two birdies in their first five holes, and Wittenberg's bogey at the par-4 sixth put him another shot behind Herman.

But then they got to the back nine and Wittenberg started to quickly make up ground.

"I just put my head down and tried to make some birdies after that," Wittenberg said of his bogey. "I wanted to go win the golf tournament and not let it come to me."

He birdied the 11th to get back to minus-15, and was within a shot of first after Herman bogeyed the 12th to dip to 16-under. Both players then birdied the par-4 13th.

Wittenberg pulled into a tie with Herman at minus-17 with a birdie at 14, and soon found himself alone atop the leaderboard. Herman had a double bogey at 15 and a bogey at 16 to dive to minus-14.

He managed to birdie his final two holes, but that was only enough to get him into a tie for second with Hicks, who recorded five birdies and a bogey during his round.

Wittenberg, meanwhile, didn't slip up down the stretch. He birdied 16, then parred out to continue his stellar 2012. He is the only multiple winner on the Nationwide Tour this season and finished in a tie for 10th at the U.S. Open last week, while playing with Tiger Woods on Sunday.

NOTES: Wittenberg pocketed $108,000 for the win...Next week, the Nationwide Tour travels to Newburgh, Indiana for the United Leasing Championship at Victoria National Golf Club. It is a new event on the tour calendar.