GCAA Am Series: Mason Mikeska wins against the big timers

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.