Joshua Rhodes wins Ozak Shootout

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The 2020 Ozark Shootout reverted to type

In a rarity last year, the shootout didn’t include a chip off. This year there were six.

Joshua Rhodes, in his 10th year in the event, was involved in one on No. 15, before he birdied 18 to beat Chance Holden and win the event Friday at Westwood Hills Country Club.

“This is supposed to be a good time. That’s how I treated it,” said Rhodes, who is leading the race for Kentucky Player of the Year. “I got up there (on 18) and I just chipped it real fast. It’s great to win it, but we’re out here having a good time. That’s what this event is meant to be.”

If there is a tie at the end of a hole, the 10-man elimination tournament determines who gets knocked out with a closest to the hole chip-off.

This year, Rhodes, Colby Robertson, Wayne Frederick, Zack Stricker, Brett McCauley, Steve Groom, Jordan Botwinick, Ron Mangold, defending champion Chance Holden and defending Ozark Invitational champion Drew Eaton competed in the event.

The drama started with the first hole with a chip-off between Wayne Frederick and Steve Groom. Both of their tee shots were short of the green on the par-3 10th, and they made bogey.

Frederick chipped to a little more than a foot from the hole, but Groom just edged him out to keep going.

The first hole without a chip-off was the par-5 14th, and on the next hole, there was a four-way chip-off between Holden, Groom, Rhodes and Robertson, who all made par. Groom ultimately lost, leaving the other three, plus Ron Mangold as a foursome heading into the final three holes.

“I usually just play really conservative up until the last three or four holes,” said Rhodes, who bailed out to the right rough on 11 to avoid the out of bounds stakes left of the fairway. “Basically not making any doubles or bogeys.”

At the 188-yard 16th, Robertson was the only person to miss the green. He ended up right and his chip left about 15-feet for a par. He rolled it about four-feet past and watched as Mangold birdied, and then Rhodes and Holden made par.

Mangold was in the rough on the right side of the fairway on 17, and his second shot went long over the back of the green.

Rhodes, who was eliminated on the 13th hole last year after missing a five-footer for par, and Holden hit their approaches to 10 feet with Mangold looking at a difficult up and down. But from his uphill lie, he chipped to four feet. After the other two made routine pars, Mangold missed his par putt.

Both Rhodes and Holden missed the fairway on 494-yard, par-5 18th. Rhodes was a few feet right and 170 yards out while Holden was close to the water on the left with little chance at the green.

Holden hit an iron to 80 yards from the green while Rhodes hit his approach long. After Holden’s wedge spun back to 10 feet, Rhodes’ chip left about 6 feet.

Holden burned the edge for his birdie, but Rhodes didn’t miss to defeat the defending champion.

It was the first time Rhodes had won the shootout. He won the Ozark Invitational in 2016.