Michael Hopper wins PING SWSPGA Championship, earns exemption to 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open

Michael Hopper (Lookout Mountain Golf Club) shot a final-round 4-under 67 and held on down the stretch to win the 2015 PING Southwest Section PGA Championship at Phoenix Country Club. 

Hopper earned $6,500 for the win, as well as an exemption to play in the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale.

Hopper was solid all week, carding rounds of 67-69-67 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, two strokes ahead of Phoenix Country Club Director of Golf Scott Frisch, who finished second overall at 8-under par.

Hopper led Frisch by one shot heading into the final round, and the two went back and forth all afternoon. Frisch got on the board first with three straight birdies on holes 3-5 to take a two shot lead over Hopper at 8-under. Frisch bogeyed the par-4 sixth and Hopper carded his first birdie of the day on the par-5 seventh to even things at 7-under, and both players made birdie on the par-4 ninth hole to make the turn tied for the lead at 8-under par.

Both made par on the first two holes on the back nine, then match birdies on Hole 12 to get to 9-under with six holes to play. Frisch got into a little bit of trouble after that, recording bogeys on the par-3 13th and par-3 15th to drop two shots back, but closed the gap to within one shot of Hopper after his birdie on the par-4 16th. They both made par on the par-4 17th, and with Hopper holding a one shot advantage going into the final hole, he added a birdie for good measure to win by two shots and secure the W/M Phoenix Open exemption.

Frisch had six birdies and three bogeys in the final round, and finished at 8-under 205 to finish in solo second.

Nigel Spence (Whisper Rock) shot 2-under in the final round and finished third at 5-under par, while Jeff Yurkiewicz eagled the final hole to jump into solo fourth at 4-under par.

The Southwest Section PGA is the local delivery system for the PGA of America programs and activities to promote the game of golf in this region and to enhance the skills of its members.