Cole Berman wins Philadelphia Amateur golf title

Cole Berman had played with and against Michael Davis enough to know that his longtime friend and rival from their Inter-Ac days would keep fighting after Berman rolled to an early lead in the final of the 115th BMW Philadelphia Amateur.

However, every time Davis tried to rally Saturday, Berman would drain another clutch putt. The last putt that fell, a 25-foot birdie, clinched the Georgetown player's 6-and-4 victory at Llanerch Country Club.

The win for Berman, 19, of Philadelphia Cricket Club, was his second straight in a Golf Association of Philadelphia major for which he was eligible. He won last year's Patterson Cup, and now is the first player since Michael McDermott in 2008 to hold both titles at the same time.

"It's pretty awesome, unbelievable," said Berman, a graduate of the Haverford School. "That was the goal going into the week. It's surreal. . . . Just a dream come true."

Berman, the second seed, took a 3-up lead after the first nine holes and never let Davis, 19, of Malvern Prep and Princeton, back in. Even after Davis won his first hole of the day at No. 14, Berman came back and birdied 15 for a win, going on to a 6-up lead at lunch.

"Cole played great all day, made a lot of clutch putts and hit a lot of good shots," said Davis, of Aronimink.

Davis won the first hole of the afternoon, the par-4 20th, where he drove into a thick bunch of ivy, chopped out, nailed a 7-iron to three feet, and sank the putt to close the gap to 5-down.

But Berman again had an answer at the next hole, when, after Davis missed a 50-foot downhill birdie try on a similar line, he dunked in his 30-foot attempt for birdie and a 6-up lead.

"After I saw his first putt," Berman said, "I got the idea and just hit it a little softer, gave it a little more break than he did, and it was perfect. So that felt good, and it got me going."

Davis' last gasp included wins at Nos. 29 and 30 (a 45-foot, chip-in birdie) to get to 4-down. But Berman sank a six-footer for birdie at 13 and then put the match away with his 25-footer.

"We had a good time cheering each other on, but at the same time, we both wanted to win," Berman said. "To be where we are and play each other was a cool thing. Hopefully it's not our last time in the finals."