This time, Dan Brown’s focus was a little closer to home. And when Brown focuses his attention on one thing, he usually succeeds.
On Sunday afternoon, Brown, a four-time Harrisburg District Golf Association ‘Player of the Year’ captured the championship of the 57th annual Lebanon County Amateur Championship. Brown fired a three-under par score of 68 over Royal Oaks’ 6,747-yard, par-71 layout for a two-round total of 140, which was two shots lower than runner-up and playing partner Andy Gibbons’ 70-72=142.
It was Brown’s second Lebanon County amateur title. He also wore the crown at Pine Meadows three years earlier.
Brown’s focus was apparent during the second and final round, with the tournament title on the line. He went one-under par over his final three holes and made up four shots on Gibbons over that stretch.
Brown parred Royal Oaks’ par-four 16th and par-four 18th holes, but may have struck the shot of the event on the par-four 17th hole. He stuck his iron approach shot on the hole to within seven feet of the flag and then calmly sank the birdie putt that changed the entire momentum of the event.
– Jeff Falk