Blanchet savors first Korn Ferry Tour victory

Hello everyone, I'm Dan Lucy on the Ozarks First digital desk.

Another Price Cutter Charity Championship is in the books.

And another champions name has been etched on the trophy.

Sunday, Florida native Chandler Blanchet finished his four rounds at Highland Springs Country Club at 27 under par.

The 29-year old jumped to the top of the leader board late on Thursday after posting a ten under par 62.

And he never looked back.

Blanchet added another 62 on Friday and did not let up on the weekend.

Blanchet had never led a tournament on Sunday in his Korn Ferry Tour career.

But there he was teeing off the championship round with a four stroke lead.

The only question was could he hold off the field?

He did not have any problems, he birdied one, four and eight to keep the pack at bay.

By the time he made the turn, he still owned that four stroke lead.

Blanchet attacked Highland Springs' par fives all week, that was key to his victory.

When he got to 18 on Sunday evening, he had a three stroke lead and won with a par putt.

It was his first victory on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Blanchet (on his first tour win)

Chandler Blanchet started playing golf when he was seven.

He played four years of college golf at NCAA Division 2 West Florida.

He was the winner of the Jack Nicklaus award that goes to D2's top golfer.

Blanchet turned pro in 2018 and cut his teeth on the South American tour.

All that hard work paid off this past week at Highland Springs.

Blanchet (on all the hard work)

Blanchet won a shiny trophy and the first place check for $180,000 dollars.

That will help Chandler who's married and has a two year old boy and a girl on the way.

But more importantly he leap frogged from 27th on the points list to seventh.

The top 20 at the end of the season move onto the PGA's regular tour.

That would be a dream come true.

Blanchet (on getting his pga card)

There have been 36 Price Cutter Charity Championships since the very first one in 1990.

And this was just the third one where the champion led wire to wire, from Friday to Sunday.

And Chandler Blanchet is the only pro to score back to back 62's in tournament play at the Charity Championship.

For more sports watch Ozarks First news at nine and ten.

And I'll see you then.