Patriot All-America: Three tied with 1 round to go
- Patriot All-America photo
The 9th playing of the Patriot All-America looks to be one of the most exciting yet, as three players co-lead, a past champion is one shot back, and a whopping 23 players are within 5 shots of the lead.
Georgia Tech's Noah Norton shot the day's low round at the Wigwam, a 5-under 65, to get into the lead group at 5 under through 36 holes. He is joined by Arizona State's Mason Anderson and first-round leader David Perkins of Illinois State University.
Related: Patriot All-America: Perkins jumps out to three-shot lead
Among those just one shot back of the leaders is the 2017 Patriot champion Mason Overstreet of the University of Arkansas, who shot a 67 on Monday to get to 4 under.
The Patriot All-America Tournament holds great significance as the players are playing for more than just a victory. Each player represents a fallen or severely wounded soldier bearing the name of the American hero embroidered on the player’s golf bag donated by PING. The soldier’s stories are shared on a card and attached to the golf bag so the players can better understand the soldier they are playing for. At the conclusion of the tournament, the player’s bags are shipped back to their school and auctioned off with all proceeds benefiting the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides scholarships to children and spouses of military service men and women.
This is first time Perkins is experiencing The Patriot All-America and since opening ceremonies his entire perspective has changed.
“I wanted to come play some golf in warmer weather, but as the tournament preaches it’s really a bigger picture thing and golf is not the most important thing,” said Perkins after round one. “It’s more about those that represent our country, I honestly got a little emotional at opening ceremonies. Listening to that woman’s story (Wesley Baguguess) and look at all the 84 people that we are representing this week it was pretty special. I saved her quote about having a battle buddy and representing the person on your bag. She said they’ll be there with you and I began catching myself looking at the quote every hole and if I had a bad shot I looked at the bag and reflected, things could be worse.”
The 54-hole, stroke-play competition will conclude on Tuesday December 31st (New Year’s Eve). The winner of the tournament receives a sponsor exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Wichita Open played June 20-23 at Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Kansas.
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.
View Complete Tournament Information