TYLER --­ Texas A&M's Martin Piller earned low amateur honors for the second straight year at the Texas State Open on Sunday, tying for seventh place at The Cascades.

Former A&M golfer Matt Loving outlasted Australian Adam Crawford in a three-hole playoff to capture the title and bank the $25,000 top prize.
Loving and Crawford both birdied the 18th hole to move to 14-under-par and force the playoff.

The win was the first as a professional for Loving, who turned pro in 2001 after earning a letter at A&M in the 1999-00 season.

Piller, who will be a senior at A&M this fall, posted scores of
68-68-67-70=273 (7-under par). He earned All-Big 12 honors last season.

The 72-hole stroke play event consisted of 156 contestants, including 28 amateurs and 128 professionals. The top 15 professionals and top three amateurs will receive exemptions into the 2008 Texas State Open at The Cascades.