Seeing red: Nilehn, Texas Tech get titles at Amer Ari

WAIKOLOA — Recovering from an injury, Fredrik Nilehn didn’t have high expectations when he landed on the Big Island. Maybe that’s why the Texas Tech junior didn’t show any signs of buckling under pressure when it mattered most at the Amer Ari Invitational on Saturday.

With little hesitation, Nilehn nailed an 18-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a three-way, sudden death playoff at the Waikoloa Kings’ Course, outlasting Arizona State’s Jared duToit and University of Southern California’s Rico Hoey for top individual honors.

“Honestly, I did not expect to win this week coming off my injury,” Nilehn said. “It was great proof for myself that all the hard work I had been putting in was worth it.”

But the individual win was just “icing on the cake,” for Nilehn, who shot a final round 5-under-par 67 to finish at a 16-under 200 for the tourney — a school record for 54 holes — and help his Red Raiders take home the prestigious team title.

Texas Tech edged defending Amer Ari champion USC by eight strokes with a 278, finishing the tournament at 44-under. Defending national champion Oregon finished third.

It’s the first team title for the Red Raiders at the annual Big Island event, and it was the first time since 2014 that a school swept the team and individual titles.

“I got away with some things, but it ended in a nice way,” Nilehn said. “To win this means a lot, for all of us. It’s an amazing place to play a college tournament and we were very fortunate to do so.”

The clinching putt was just one in a string of pressure plays by Nilehn and his Red Raider teammates in the final round. They started the day a stroke back of USC, but built separation with a flurry of late birdies.

Nilehn led the way, rolling in a birdie on his second-to-last hole, and then sinking an eagle on No. 18 to reach 16-under and earn a spot in the playoff.

“We weren’t making birdies there for a bit, but they stuck with it. Those final few holes were difference makers,” Texas Tech head coach Greg Sands said. “We played great all week, one-through-five. It was nice to see all our guys finish it out strong.”

Hannes Ronneblad, Ivan Ramirez, Hurly Long and Federico Zucchetti make up the rest of the Red Raider squad, which heads to Palm Springs, California in a few weeks for its next tournament.

“Tough life, right,” Sands said with a smile.

Nilehn’s playoff victory will be something that lives on in tournament lore, which includes names like Tiger Woods and Jordan Speith.

It was the first three-way playoff tournament officials could remember in the event’s 26-year history, and how it played out made it even more memorable.

From the No. 17 tee box, Hoey — the second-round leader — hit into the fairway, while Nilehn settled into the rough just on the right side of the fairway. But duToit went left, deep into the lava.

Seemly out of the running after the penalty on the par-4 hole, duToit teed off again, this time hitting the fairway. But the Sun Devil gave himself a shot, hitting the flag and nearly holing out for par. The shot elicited a cheer from the crowd and some high-fives from his teammates, but the ball ended up bouncing to the edge of the green, effectively ending his chance.

“He hit a really great fourth shot,” Nilehn said. “That would have caused a little drama if he made it, for sure.”

Nilehn was the model of consistency through the tournament, shooting rounds of 66, 67 and 67. He lived up to that reputation on the final hole of the weekend, calmly landing his second shot on the green.

“I had a really bad lie coming out of the rough, so I knew I had to hit it high,” he said. “It came off good and I gave myself an opportunity to win.”

Hoey missed his putt first on the speedy green, opening the door for Nilehn.

“One of my better finishes, for sure,” Nilehn said.

Host UH-Hilo finished the tournament at 42-over 906. Jared Kinoshita had the best showing, finishing 2-over.

Justin Tokioka finished 1-under, leading the way for Hawaii, which finished in 18th place.