Ten months ago, David McDaniel left the UA golf team, quit competitive golf and got a part-time job at a parochial school.
So guess who won the Tucson City Amateur at Randolph North on Sunday?
McDaniel, a 2003 Canyon del Oro High School graduate, eagled the 13th hole and got up-and-down to save par from behind a bunker at the 18th to beat 2004 champion Josh Wilks and UA sophomore Tyler Neal by one stroke.
"I didn't touch a club for six months after I quit golf last July," said McDaniel, who shot a 3-under 69 Sunday, catching and overhauling Wilks, who opened the day with a two-stroke lead. "About a month ago I started practicing again."
Stymied by a back injury while at the UA, McDaniel is now a Pima College student who said chronic back pain has forced him to abandon plans to pursue a golf career.
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He shot rounds of 70-70-69-69 at four city courses over two weekends for a composite 278. Wilks, runner-up to the UA's Brian Prouty last year, missed 4-foot par putts at 15, 16 and 18 to finish at 279.
"I played a lot worse than my score (72) indicates," said Wilks. "I just didn't putt very well down the stretch."
Wilks, from Sabino, began the year in Arizona's starting lineup but knee surgery in February has kept him out of the UA's spring action and next week's NCAA regionals here.
Neal, from Sahuaro, who is redshirting at the UA this season, had Sunday's best round of the final group, 68, but a bogey after an errant drive on the 17th hole put him a stroke back. Neal's opening 75 last weekend at Fred Enke Golf Course probably cost him the championship.
Nobody else threatened the final threesome Sunday.
McDaniel was a two-time 5A Region champion while at CDO. He set the Oro Valley Country Club course record at 63 while a high school student. He finished a disappointing ninth in the 5A state tournament as a senior, which probably made Sunday's victory the highlight of his career. He has finished third and fifth in previous City Amateurs.
"I was lucky to win today; any of the three of us could've won," he said. "I thought all along I could win, but I'll be the first to admit that Josh is a better player. You just never expect him to miss those putts (down the stretch) and especially don't expect him to bogey (No. 16) a par 5."
