Mason Overstreet birdied nine-times in the final round
(Patriot All-America Photo)
LITCHFIELD PARK, AZ (December 31, 2017) – Arkansas sophomore
Mason Overstreet fired a closing 6-under 64 to finish 11 under and win the Patriot All-America Invitational by six shots. After opening rounds of 67-68 Overstreet began the day 5-under and one stroke back before sprinting past the rest of the field on Sunday thanks to a nine-birdie, three-bogey round.
Pushing from the get-go, Overstreet bogeyed the opening hole of The Wigwam Gold Course but the NCAA Individual runner-up from a year ago would not be fazed, making birdies on the next four holes to move to 8 under and the tournament lead.
Now in front, Overstreet bounced back from a bogey on the 7th hole with a birdie on the 8th and never looked back, cruising to a four-birdie, one-bogey back nine 3-under 32. The final two birdies came on the closing two holes and provided some extra cushion.
Overstreet will now look to carry the momentum from this weekend into the spring and continue what has already been an impressive sophomore campaign for Arkansas. In the fall Overstreet
broke into the win column at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate where he was the co-medalist, while also finishing second at the Gopher Invitational and sixth at the Bearcat Invitational.
Five players finished half a dozen strokes behind Overstreet in second place at 5 under. The group is comprised of
Austin Eckroat (Oklahoma State),
Patrick Fishburn (BYU),
S.M. Lee (Dalton State),
George Cunningham (Arizona) and second round leader
Garrett May (Baylor).
May led after each of the first two rounds but never could get it going on Sunday carding a 1-over 71 after opening tallies of 65-69.
Of Note: Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com No. 1 ranked
Braden Thornberry, who won this event in 2015, finished even-par and tied for 15th. The Ole Miss junior signed for scores of 70-66-74.
Now in its seventh year, The Patriot All-America Invitational features a field of 84 PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, NAIA and NJCAA rankings as well as from U.S. Military Academies and universities outside the United States. Current PGA TOUR stars who have played in The Patriot All-America during their college careers, include: 2017 US Open champion Brooks Koepka (2011), 2017 PGA Championship winner and FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas (2011), Patrick Rodgers (2011), Daniel Berger (2012) and Bryson DeChambeau (2013).
What separates The Patriot All-America from other collegiate golf tournaments is participants play for more than themselves or their school. Each golfer honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a golf bag bearing the name of that soldier. Before the tournament, participants receive a card with the soldier’s story, so they can be familiar with who that person was, what they represented and how they were killed or wounded in action. At the conclusion of the tournament, the golf bags are shipped to players’ schools and auctioned with all proceeds benefitting the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while in active service.
To get a better idea of the spirit of this unique event, and what it means to the players and the families of the fallen soldiers they honor, watch the video below.
ABOUT THE Patriot All-America
The Wigwam and the Golf Coaches Association
of America (GCAA), in partnership with the
Folds of Honor Foundation present the Patriot All-
America Invitational. It's one of the most unique
events
in all of golf.
84 top collegiate players named to the PING All-
America team in NCAA Division I,II and III, NAIA
and
NJCAA, AJGA, one player from each military
academy
and select international players compete in a 54-
hole
championship.
Each player honors our military by carrying a bag
with
the name, rank and service of a fallen or severely
wounded soldier embroidered on the pocket.
Following
the championship, the bags go to the players’ school
for auction, with proceeds benefiting the Folds of
Honor.
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