GCAA Am Series: Mason Mikeska wins against the big timers
Mason Mikeska (GCAA)
Junior college product Mason Mikeska pulled off what fellow JUCO product Abraham Ancer was unable to do over the weekend: win.
Mikeska, a freshman at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas, competed in the Golf Coaches Association of America’s stop at Ridgewood Country Club, just outside of Waco. As a Waco native, Mikeska surely had some experience to get around the 6,641-yard par 70 track for an opening 6-under 64.
Piggybacking off the solid opener, Mikeska followed up the round with an even-par 70 to take second place for himself, trailing only Baylor’s Brandon Hoff by three strokes as the field turned their attention to Tuesday’s final round.
As the scene was set, it was a two-player race nearly all day Tuesday. Mikeska bogeyed the first but made it up with a birdie on the second to stay even while Hoff got hot with back-to-back birdies to start the day.
However, the tide turned for Hoff and it did so very quickly.
After triple bogey on the par-3 third and a pair of bogeys to follow suit, Hoff went from two under to three over in what felt like a heartbeat. All the while, Mikeska stayed true with pars while Hoff struggled.
Dropping another shot on the par-4 eighth, Hoff sat back to watch his slim lead turn into a large deficit thanks to a four-hole clinic put on by Mikeska. Four consecutive birdies gave Mikeska a five-shot advantage for the tournament. The lead would not stay large for long as Mikeska gave three shots back but picked up a crucial birdie on the last to take the title en route to a final-round 2-under 68 and an 8-under 202 total.
As Mikeska cooled off, Hoff got back on track. The Baylor sophomore traded three birdies and two bogeys on the back nine, including a birdie on No. 18 to fall a single shot short of Mikeska’s mark at eight under.
UTSA senior Michael Rome took solo third place at seven under, New Mexico Lobo Brandon Shong grabbed a fourth place finish at four under while Baylor’s Luke Dossey tied with Mississippi State women’s golfer Clara Moyano Reigosa for fifth place at two under par.
View results for GCAA Amateur Series - Waco
ABOUT THE
GCAA Amateur Series - Waco
Eligibility : Tournaments are open to any male or
female golfers who were on a college or university
varsity golf
roster during the 2019-20 school year or will be on a
college or university varsity golf roster during the
upcoming
2020-21 school year.
Entry Fee: $265 per player – Tournament
registration will open approximately six weeks prior
to the date of the
event and will be administered by the GCAA. Entry
fee will include all competitive rounds, range access
during the
tournament days, as well as a boxed lunch between
rounds on day one of the tournament.
Format: Events will be held over two day (Saturday-
Sunday) 54 holes; using either a shotgun start
format or
double tee start format. Both male and female
golfers will be competing in one tournament using
two sets of tees.
Tournaments will be recognized by WAGR; points will
be awarded accordingly based on the individual
participants
finish against other players of their gender.
Practice Rounds: Will be optional and be at the
expense of participants. The GCAA will work with
host venues to
set up day(s) and times for individuals who would
like to play in a practice round. Participants will be
responsible
for setting up their own practice round.
Field Size: Events will have a minimum of 60 and a
maximum of 84 players.
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