It took three extra holes before Weston Bell was able to chip in from 20 feet off the green to finally win The Frostbite Open at Boscobel.

Bell’s eagle chip-in was the deciding shot to win the annual tournament for his team, which included Walt Todd, Jr and Brandon Truesdale.

“I just wanted to get it on the green and let it start rolling,” said Bell. “I got a pretty good line and speed from watching Walt and Brandon,” he said.

Todd and Truesdale scared the hole, but both rolled past the hole.

Bell’s successful chip left the team of Keenan Huskey, Nick Biershenk and Zach Bishop with an almost impossible 30 foot putt from the back of the green to force a fourth playoff hole.

When none of the three were able to match Bell’s eagle the team that started the day with a one shot lead ended up winning the tournament by a shot.

“We were a little lucky to be in the playoff at all,” said Truesdale. “We were pretty sloppy on the front and at one point we got behind by 5 shots,” he said.

The three former Winthrop University golfers got it together on the back nine. When they eagled the final hole they caught back up to force the playoff.

In the playoff, the first time the six golfers played the 285 yard par 4 ninth hole it looked like Biershenk, Huskey and Bishop had an advantage. Their second shot ended up about three-feet from the hole.

Truesdale, Todd and Bell had a much more difficult putt from 12 feet down hill with a severe break to force another playoff hole.

Bell rolled in the difficult putt forcing a second payoff hole.

Neither team played the second extra hole well and a third hole was needed. It was back to the ninth tee for the third time.

A playoff is nothing new for the Boscobel event. The ninth hole is the usual playoff hole and often has to be played several times before a team takes the win.

Before Boscobel tamed down the green a few years ago, it wasn’t unusual for a playoff to go five holes or more before a team either got lucky or made an amazing shot.

When Bell’s chip wrapped up the win, the three former Eagle golfers continued the success in local and state events Winthrop grads have enjoyed in the last few years.

The 2021 SCGA Player of the Year was Winthrop grad Christian Sease. Truesdale and Todd have won a pair of state four-ball titles. Bell and partner Robert Lutomski, not a Winthrop golfer, have advanced to the USGA Four Ball championships.

The three did not have an answer as to why Winthrop golfers seem to play better after they graduate. “The answer to the question Coach Pendley (Kevin Pendley Winthrop’s golf coach) would like to know too,” joked Todd.

This year a field of 40 teams took part in the tournament. Almost double that number signed up hoping to play in the tournament.

A highlight of the tournament was a hole in one scored by Spartanburg’s Richard Burgess. The former Spartanburg County Amateur champion used a strong pitching wedge from 138 yards out on hole #7 to record the ace with his teammates Max Fain and Todd Whitehead watching.

Just missing the playoff was the team of Josh Branyon, Larry Penley and Whitt Jefferson who finished third.

Flight Winners included – First Flight – Cason Mabry, Eric Dipper, Tyler Croxton. Second Flight – Aaron Vanderpool, Cecil Whitmire, Daniel Huneycutt. Third Flight – Will Landry, John Gault, Scott Landry. Fourth Flight – Matt Chambers, Nate Whitworth, Gordon Patterson.