Guthrie struggles to find fairway in final round, ties for 28th at Panther Creek Country Club

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Luke Guthrie’s charge toward a Korn Ferry Tour championship in his home state veered a little off course Sunday.

The Quincy native struggled to find the fairway off the tee throughout the final round of the Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club and shot an even-par 71 over the final 18 holes, finishing tied for 28th at 16-under 268.

Austin Smotherman, who shared the second round lead with Guthrie, won the title after posting an 8-under 63 Sunday and finishing at 25-under 259.

Guthrie led the field after both the first and second rounds and was tied for sixth going into Sunday, but on a day when making birdies was essential, he struggled to put himself in position for red numbers.

The Quincy High School and University of Illinois graduate hit just 5 of 14 fairways Sunday, and after leading the field in putts per greens in regulation through the first three rounds, he tied for 35th in that respect Sunday at 1.69.

His day began auspiciously as he bogeyed his opening hole, something he had done in the previous two rounds. However, unlike the second round when he birdied the next three holes or the third round when he birdied two of the next three holes, Guthrie didn’t make a birdie until the fifth hole and finished the front nine in even-par 35.

He bogeyed the 10th hole, came back with birdies on the par-4 12, the par-5 13th and the par-4 15th to give himself a shot at reaching the top 10. However, he bogeyed the final two holes to finish his round of even-par 71.

Every golfer finishing ahead of him played Sunday’s round in 2-under or better, including 12 who shot 7-under or better.

Guthrie’s finish was his highest this season since finishing tied for fifth at the Bahama Great Abaco Classic in January. He moved up eight spots on the Korn Ferry Tour points list to 87th with 178 points.