An opponent's misfortune removed the bridesmaid tag from Tucsonan Ian Patterson, a senior at Immaculate Heart.
And Scottsdale Christian received a scare but came away with its fourth straight state golf title in Tuesday's final round of the 1A/2A state tournament at Aguila Golf Course in Laveen.
Caston Roberts of Gilbert Christian led Patterson by a stroke entering Tuesday. But Roberts took a quadruple bogey on the par-4 fourth hole. He rallied for a 1-over 73, but Patterson won the state title by one stroke after firing a second straight 1-under 71 for a 142 total.
Patterson was the tourney's runner-up in the previous two years.
Roberts hit his tee shot on No. 4 into a bush, then played a provisional ball. After taking an unplayable lie, he hit his next shot to the proximity of his provisional, then inadvertently hit the provisional to incur a two-shot penalty.
"Caston played hard and I'm pretty sure he would have won if not for that rules thing," said Patterson, who will attend South Mountain College in the fall.
"Some people watching knew he was hitting the wrong ball, I guess, but didn't say anything - a coach and another player told him after he hit it. It wasn't very sportsmanlike, I guess. But it doesn't take anything away from the win."
Scottsdale Christian entered Tuesday with an eight-stroke lead, only to see Desert Christian brave the gusty winds and slice four shots off the lead with the day's low round of 319 for a 631 total. Scottsdale shot a 323 for a 627.
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