Near-Perfect for 72 Holes, Sautron Adds a Third Bogey-Free Round to Win 85th Monroe Invitational by Seven Shots

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Completes Victory With Tournament Record 19-Under-Par Total

PITTSFORD, NY - On Thursday afternoon, July 23, Rudy Sautron, a recent transfer to the University of Tennesee in his senior year, lipped out a 6-foot putt on the par-4 18th hole to close out his second round at Monroe Golf Club with his first bogey of the week in the 85th Monroe Invitational.

It would also be his last - and only - bogey during the entire 72-hole championship.

Throughout his impressive title-winning run at the 85th Monroe Invitational - a showcase of top collegiate-level amateur golfers in a field that included 6 of the top-50 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings - Sautron completed four consecutive rounds under par, finished with a tournament-record 19-under-par 261 total and won the title by an astonishing seven-shot margin.

But it was his impressive feat of recording only one bogey over the course of 72 holes of play that will likely stand out as the most impressive stat of his near-perfect title run on the 6781-yard, par-70 Monroe Golf Club.

A native of France, Sautron came to the U.S. three years ago to play college golf for the University of Nebraska.

During his junior year there last season, Sautron showed continued improvement, winning three Division I collegiate events before transferring to Tennessee and reaching as high as No. 309 in the World Amateur Rankings.

Now, with a Monroe Invitational title behind him - from an event ranked among the top-10 amateur championships in the country - that ranking is sure to move up as Sautron enters his senior year.

On Saturday morning, July 25, just before the final round of the 85th Monroe Invitational got under way, Sautron held a narrow 1-shot lead over Collins Trolio of Ole Miss after posting a third round score of 7-under 63 to enter the final round at 14-under-par.

Close behind in third place was Carson Bertagnole of the University of North Carolina, who stood at 12-under, and Jacob Lang of the University of Kentucky at 11-under.

Just as he had done during two of his first three near-perfect rounds, Sautron completed another bogey-free round, including his first two birdies of the week on holes 17 and 18, to finish with a 65 and a 19-under-par 261 total.

Bertagnole, who posted the low round of the tournament - a 62 - in Round 3, finished seven shots back at 268.

Trolio finished in a tie for third with first round co-leader Noah Kent at 269.

For Sautron, the victory includes one other prize, along with the handsome Monroe Inviattional trophy - the opportunity to play in the PGA Tour's Butterfield Bermuda Championship in November.

Although there were five local qualifiers in this year's Monroe Invitational field, which included newly-crowned 2026 RDGA District Champion Alex Hill, two-time RDGA District Champion Aiden Spampinato, this year's RDGA Match Play Champion Owen Corby, Owen Tehan, and past RDGA Junior and Sub-Junior Champion Brodie Burgess - none advanced past Thursday's cut to the low 45 and ties. However, one local golfer, 2025 RDGA Match Play Champion Philip Minnehan was seen on the course during the final round - as caddie for his good friend Charlie Fischer from Mercer University, playing in the next to last pairing off the 10th tee.

The 84th Monroe Invitational is made possible through the efforts of Tournament Chairman Mason Grower, Monroe GC PGA Head Professional Beatrice Smith, Monroe GC Head Superintendent Matt Delly and the entire Tournament Committee, as well as the hospitality of the Monroe GC membership and staff.

The Rochester District Golf Association is led by Executive Director Tim Vangellow and is a proud Allied Golf Association of the USGA, serving Rochester area golfers since 1929.