Knollwood's Mike Miller Scores in Portuguese Open

Mike Miller, the MGA and Westchester Player of the Year for both 2012 and 2011, moved a step closer to his dream of making the US Walker Cup team this year with a T-3 finish today at the Portuguese Open. Miller is the son of Knollwood Country Club head pro Bob Miller.

The 20-year-old had only one round over par on the Montado Golf Course near Pamela Castle, going 70-73-68-70 to finish at 7 under for the tournament. He scored 20 birdies and 13 bogeys to tie with England's Harry Casey for the number three spot four stokes behind the winner, Goncolo Pinto of Portugal. He poured it on in the final round, posting three birdies on the last four holes, but couldn't overcome the bogey-plagued second round score. Miller was the only American in the field.

This is Miller's first stop on a 25-day overseas excursion designed to give him more experience competing outside the US.  His next stop is the Spanish Amateur Championship. Last year, he traveled overseas for the first time in his life and placed fourth in the Lytham Trophy and Irish Amateur.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf