Rob Oppenheim wins Air Capital Classic with final round 64

Rob Oppenheim will remember a warm and sunny Sunday afternoon at Crestview Country Club as the finest moment of his professional golfing career.

Teeing off six shots behind — and 70 minutes before — the leaders in the final round of the Air Capital Classic, he pieced together an improbable run of four birdies, one eagle and no bogeys to shoot 64, his lowest Sunday score in 129 Web.com tournaments.

He began the day out of contention, hoping for a strong finish that would move him up the tour’s money list. By the end of the day, he was on top of the leader board at 267, 13-under par. And he was ready to celebrate his first victory, cracking open a can of Bud Light during the trophy ceremony.

“I was 69^th on the money list going into this week. I probably needed a good week just to keep my card,” Oppenheim said. “But now, to jump into the top 25 (13th with $146,227) and have a good chance to get to the PGA Tour next year, which is what all of us are trying to do ... It’s my sixth year playing out here, and it is nice to finally get a win.

“I have played I don’t even know how many events, quite a bit. To finally get it done and be able to say I won on the Web.com Tour is pretty special.”

Oppenheim’s victory was a prime example of how much simpler golf can be when you play with the proper mindset.

He woke up realizing it would take a monster round just to get himself in contention, so he paid no attention to the leader boards and played aggressively, focusing only on making birdies.

“This is the best I have ever done with not looking at the leader board,” Oppenheim said. “I just kept my head down and tried to go as low as possible, knowing that there are birdies out there and guys out there who could make some. I was just trying to go as low as I could and post something.”

He applied considerable pressure on the leaders, in the process.

No golfer that played in the final six pairings broke par, and as the day went on Oppenheim’s status as leader in the clubhouse changed to winner.

Andy Winings began the day two shots clear of the field at 13-under par. If he continued to play well, no one was going to catch him. And he knew it. When he sank a 60-foot birdie putt on the par 4 tenth hole to climb to 14-under, a shot ahead of Oppenheim, it seemed like he was on his way.

Player partner Nicholas Lindheim was a step behind all day, and everyone else in contention was struggling. All Winings had to do to win was par his final eight holes. But that turned out to be a difficult task. He promptly bogeyed 12 and 13 to fall behind. A birdie on the 14th hole tied things up with Oppenheim, but he finished poorly. Winings scrambled for a par on 15, missed a makeable birdie putt on 17 and bogeyed the final hole, closing out his round with a series of bad shots.

He finished second, one shot behind Oppenheim.

“This is the first time I have played with the lead out here,” Winings said. “Going into the final round, it was a different feeling. I hit the ball really well on the front nine and didn’t hit the putts. I hit a lot of good shots and gave myself a lot of chances, I just didn’t make the putts I had all week. That was the difference.”

If he could have any shot back, it would be the missed birdie putt on 17.

“I hit a good putt, just barely misread it,” Winings said. “That is how my whole day went.”

Lindheim birdied the first two holes of the day to tie Winings at 13-under par, but then the pressure also got to him.

“It is always hard to play when you are in the lead,” Lindheim said. “It is totally different.”

Oppenheim can relate.

“It is a lot less pressure,” he said. “I am there today, slept great, just looking to come out and shoot great, whereas the leaders are sleeping on the lead and don’t want to make mistakes. I am out here firing at pins. It is definitely a different mentality. It is definitely easier playing from where I was instead of the lead. I am glad I took advantage of that.”

Still, he did not expect his score to hold up. Sure, he kept his muscles warm, just in case of a playoff, but when you finish your round while the leaders are making the turn it’s hard to hope for the best.

Things turned out well for him, though, thanks to a final round he will never forget. He was in top form, hitting 16 greens and facing only one difficult par-saving putt all day.

It came on the final home, and he was up for the challenge. After hitting his drive into the left rough and coming up short on his approach, he got up-and-down for the most important par of the tournament.

“It was the best ball-striking day I have had all year,” he said. “I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.”

Oppenheim has played in the Air Capital Classic many times. He says he has made great friends in Wichita and it would be fun to return next year as defending champion and see his name on signs across the course.

Of course, after this victory, he may be busy playing on the PGA Tour.

“I have been playing pretty consistent here, I just haven’t had a good last day,” Oppenheim said. “I told myself to keep pushing, ‘You are due for a good last round.’ I finally got one.”

This story was originally published June 28, 2015 at 6:53 PM with the headline "Rob Oppenheim wins Air Capital Classic with final round 64."