There was no drama by the time Bo Blanchard reached the 72nd hole at the 104th Georgia Open. The Columbus native had already removed most of the stress thanks to a consistent sequence of fairways and greens throughout a bogey-free final day.
Blanchard closed with his third consecutive 5-under 67 on Sunday at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta to finish 16-under 272. He won by three shots over Milton’s Jack Schoenberger, whose closing 69 left him at 13 under, and by five shots over Duluth’s Carter Loflin, a senior at the University of Georgia, who shot 69.
“I was nervous all day, but it was good nerves,” said Blanchard, a senior at Augusta University. “I was just kind of excited and definitely had a lot of adrenaline all day. I just tried to stick with what I was doing the first three days. Tried to stay in my own little bubble and did a pretty good job of it.”
Blanchard began the day with a one-shot lead but Schoenberger, a senior who plays at the University of Kentucky, rolled in a 20-footer on the fourth hole, rated as the toughest on the course, to tie for the lead at 12 under.
Blanchard regained the lead with a birdie at No. 8 after landing a short pitch to within a foot for a tap in.
The biggest momentum swing came on the par-5 11th. Schoenberger’s approach shot rolled in the water and Blanchard’s, hit on the same line, stayed dry by about two yards. Schoenberger’s approach went 12 feet past the cup, but he made the putt to save par. Blanchard’s approach was to within four feet and he made the birdie to extend his lead to two shots.
“He hits it in the water and it looks like it’s going to be a two-shot swing,” Blanchard said. “Then he makes a long putt for par and if I miss my putt, we make the same score on the hole. So that was a key moment.”
By this time the tournament had evolved into a two-man match play situation. Blanchard refused to make a mistake and Schoenberger could not manufacture any momentum. Blanchard carried a three-shot lead to the final hole after Schoenberger’s bogey at No. 17 and completed the victory with a 12-foot birdie at 18.
“Bo earned it,” Schoenberger said. “He played very well and was impressive. All I can do is tip my cap and keep working.”
In addition to having his name engraved on the Robert H. Martin Trophy, first won in 1916 by Bobby Jones, Blanchard earns an exemption into the U.S. Amateur Championship at the Olympic Club and the Jones Cup Invitational. Blanchard has come up through the ranks of the Georgia State Golf Association, competing as an 8-year-old in the Junior Sectional events.
Two-time defending champion Jake Peacock of Milton shot 67 on Sunday to finish tied for fourth at 279 with 2018 champion Brett Barron of Duluth.
“I knew I’d need a really big push in order to have any sort of a chance,” Peacock said. “But I’m proud of the way I capped off my amateur career today. I definitely wanted to go down swinging as I turn the page and move on to pro golf.”
The low junior was Evan Rogers of Duluth, whose 71 included a hole-in-one on the club’s signature 152-yard par-3 13th hole.
The top 20 and ties earned an exemption into the 2025 Georgia Amateur at Ocean Forest Golf Club at Sea Island.
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