Taichi Kho, Eleanor Hudepohl pass the Pfau test to win Golfweek Hoosier Amateur titles

Something about Steve Smyers layouts really tests Taichi Kho. Several players would probably say something similar.

Maridoe Golf Club in Dallas, designed by Smyers, had Kho’s number in December when he played the Maridoe Amateur there, but something seemed to click for the Notre Dame senior this week at the Golfweek Hoosier Amateur a little farther north at Smyers’ new Pfau Course at Indiana University.

“I think it was just such a big test throughout the week and it’s a course that you really have to take it shot by shot because thinking about the entire golf course can be pretty overwhelming,” Kho said. “I played Maridoe in December and I really struggled there. This layout is very similar to that. For me personally, it was great to execute the shots when I needed to, overcome the mental block.”

Scores: Golfweek Hoosier Amateur

Kho not only got through said block, but through a head-to-head playoff with Indiana senior Mitch Davis. Both finished 54 holes at 2 under, but Kho prevailed with birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

For the win… Taichi Kho makes birdie to defeat Mitch Davis on the first playoff hole to win the Golfweek Hoosier Amateur at Indiana University’s Pfau Course. pic.twitter.com/ykUMPAqbKq

— Lance Ringler (@GolfweekRingler) August 4, 2021

For Kho, a victory on such a difficult track gives him huge amounts of confidence going into the fall season – particularly after taking some time off from competitive golf this summer. Kho, however, did tee it up at last week’s Western Amateur and finished only two shots outside the 16-man match-play bracket.

“The past two days I just hit it great so it was a little bit easier because it was how I wanted to try and hit it,” he said in summing up his game. “Today was a little more of a grind so I feel like my course management was huge. I never short-sided myself today. When I was out of position, I gave myself an opportunity for a good chip and I made a couple good putts today.”

The big difference between Kho’s and Davis’s days came in the first four holes. Kho played them in 2 under while Davis played them in 2 over. Davis, however, birdied Nos. 10 and 11 to get himself back in it, chipped in for birdie on 17 and found himself with a chance.

Davis, who has played a full summer tournament slate with the highlight a top-15 finish at the Northeast Amateur, only hit 12 fairways the whole tournament and prided himself on walking away with a 2-under total considering. The playoff with Kho adds another memory to a place with lots of them.

“There’s been some fun moments out there just with the team messing around but it was nice to be in a playoff out there,” he said. “It was fun.”

The difficulty of the golf course wasn’t lost on Eleanor Hudepohl, the winner in the girls division, either. Hudepohl, a incoming Creighton freshman from Cincinnati, Ohio, called the Pfau Course one of the toughest she’s played.

“It was awesome just knowing that I’m getting ready to head off for my freshman year of college and just to get out here and have the experience with these players and on this level of golf course, it was awesome,” she said.

Hudepohl wrapped up the three-day tournament with a 16-over total that left her three shots ahead of Katie Hallinan and Kelly Su. Sticking to her gameplan, she said, was key.

The highlight of Hudepohl’s week was easily the hole-in-one she made on the par-3 third in the second round. Still, that didn’t hand her the title.

“It was exciting, but it was one of those things where the next tee shot was probably the hardest shot I hit all tournament because you’ve got to calm yourself down,” she said. “I think it helped, just gave me a little bit of momentum but it was also hard to wrap yourself back into your zone.”