June 22, 2009

ARLINGTON, Tx. - UTA golfer Zack Fischer has carried over his fine play from the Mavericks season to his summer campaign as he took home the title last week from the 2009 Western Junior Championship at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin.

Fischer, the junior-to-be from Wake Village, Texas, eased to a two-stroke victory over runner-up Patrick Cantlay, 17, of Los Alamitos, Calif., with a 3-under-par 281 total in the 72-hole championship.

Fischer led Cantlay by two at the start of Friday's final round. He stretched his lead to six through 14 then wobbled a bit on the final four holes before coming in with the win.

"I really didn't feel nervous at the end," Fischer said. "I just wasn't hitting it good with my driver or 3-wood. "My putting definitely saved me. I give all the credit to my coach at UTA, Jay Rees. He's a great short game teacher. He's helped me so much. Without him, I wouldn't have won today."

Fischer counts the Western Junior and Southland Conference co-title as his two top accomplishments in golf, and after Friday's win he said the Western Junior ranks highest.

"This is the biggest win of my career," Fischer, who was also the co-medalist at this year's Southland Conference Tournament, said. "It's definitely the No. 1 win of my life. It's a great honor to win a championship that's been won by so many great golfers ... Jim Furyk , Bobby Clampett, Willie Wood, Jamie Lovemark, who is an NCAA champion. This is a huge tournament."

Playing collegiate golf helped steel Fischer for this week's competition.

"Having all those college tournaments under my belt is a plus," Fischer added. "I've grown a lot as a golfer the last two years."

Fischer also credited his father and caddie, Ron Fischer, with keeping him on track the past four days.

"Without my dad, I probably wouldn't even be in golf," he said. "He got me started, and he supports me. He's fantastic."

"It was a great tournament," Fischer said. "I don't think it could have been better."