By Ryan Ernst
Enquirer staff writer

BUTLER, Ky. - With five holes to play in the Northern Kentucky Men's Amateur championship Friday, defending champ Lance Lucas found himself in quite a predicament.

His lead over Matt Bowlin had shrunk to one stroke. And his errant tee shot on the par-4 14th was at the bottom of a steep hill, nestled snugly against a fallen tree branch. Bowlin was in the middle of the fairway.

"I was stymied," Lucas said.

Fortunately for Lucas, the situation played out as most had for him this week at Pendleton Country Club: another minor obstacle in the way of his methodical march to his second consecutive and third overall title. He also won the championship in 1999.

Lucas punched the ball back to the fairway, hit his approach within 4 feet, then made his par putt to keep the lead and the momentum heading into the last four holes.

"That was the key hole," Bowlin said. "I was kind of making a move, and that kept me from catching him."

Lucas pulled away with three pars and a birdie on the final four holes. He finished the 36-hole final with a 5-under-par 139, three shots ahead of Bowlin and five shots ahead of third-place finisher Joe Hays.

For the 42-year-old Lucas, the day capped a week of consistency. He shot rounds of 69, 69 and 70 in stroke play and steadily pulled away to beat his match-play opponents on the last few holes.

"Consistency's definitely the key," Lucas said. "In the final, you just don't want to put yourself out of it in the first 18. If putts fall, great. The second 18 almost becomes match play again, which is kind of what happened with Matt and I today."

Lucas is the first back-to-back winner of the event since Tom Goeke did it in 1995 and '96.

"This is always a big accomplishment, because it's so hard to win," he said. "Right now I'm playing about as well as I ever have. So for me, this is about as good as it gets."

The second-place finish was Bowlin's best showing at the tournament. He finished third in 2002.

Hays shot 75 and 69 in his first trip to the final.

Justin Jolly shot a 72 to win the one-round first flight championship. He beat Rob Petrey in a scorecard playoff.

Russell Daniels shot 73 to win the second flight title. Scott Hansel's first-day score of 64 allowed him to win the tournament's medalist honor.

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