Eckroat, Cummins make noise at PGA Tour's Mayakoba Classic
L-R: Austin Eckroat and Quade Cummins
Bedlam is not reserved for just the football field or basketball court.
Oklahoma’s Quade Cummins and Oklahoma State’s Austin Eckroat took the in-state rivalry south of the border this week at the PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Classic. Both amateurs were invited by tournament officials based on their amateur resumes which include both being inside the PGA Tour University top-10 and both having an NCAA championship under their belt.
The Sooner State natives have long been a fixture in the amateur game. Eckroat, a junior from Edmond, Oklahoma, has been on numerous award watchlists throughout his collegiate career while earning All-American honors. The Cowboy turned in a missed cut at the 2019 U.S. Open with rounds of 72 and 75 at a soft playing Pebble Beach. The two-time AJGA All-American won 2017 U.S. Junior medalist honors and has picked up two wins while playing for Cowboys. Eckroat has also kept his name on the front page of the leaderboard of many elite amateur and collegiate tournaments.
As for Cummins, the redshirt senior gained an extra season of eligibility under Sooners head coach Ryan Hybl’s tutelage. One of the elder statesmen in the NCAA, Cummins is actually older than this year’s Mayakoba Golf Classic champion, and former Big 12 foe, Viktor Hovland. Using the extra year to sharpen his game, build off of a PING first-team All-American (half) season and try to help his Sooners squad to their third national championship, Cummins is just four spots back of Eckroat in the PGA Tour University rankings at No. 8.
Beginning the week on high notes, both collegians made the cut with Eckroat using a pair of 69s to secure a spot while Cummins went 71-70 to make the cut on the dot at 1-under.
Making a PGA start as an amateur is one thing, but to make the cut is another as the weekend on Tour is a completely different beast.
Eckroat flourished and reveled in the Mexico sun, getting better as the tournament went on with a moving day 4-under 67 and a final round 65 to secure a T12 finish at 14-under par, just six shots off his former Cowboy teammate’s winning score.
Cummins had an eventful Saturday, posting a 4-over 75, but rebounded nicely with a strong 2-under 69 to cap off a fun week.
“It was awesome to be playing with guys you see on TV all the time,” Cummins told AmateurGolf.com. “I know we [Cummins and Eckroat] belong out here and I know he proved that with [the] week [he had]. Seeing one of your friends do that is motivating because I know I could do the same thing any given week. It’s definitely something I will think about for awhile. It only adds fuel to the fire.”
Up next for Cummins is the Arnold Palmer Cup. The Sooner star made the 2019 USA squad and is looking to avenge the team’s loss to the Internationals at Bay Hill December 21-23. For Eckroat, it appears he will be taking some time off before Oklahoma State’s spring season.