Joe Deraney finishes with a flury to win third straight Mississippi Mid-Amateur

Joe Deraney's third straight victory at the Mississippi Mid-Amateur Championship didn't come easy -- he only made it look as though it did.

Facing a six-stroke deficit heading into the final round at Annandale Golf Club, the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up birdied his last four holes to shoot a 7-under 65 for a four-stroke win over Brett Patterson and Cory Vincent.

Vincent held the 36-hole lead at 1-under 141 while Patterson was two back at 1-over 145 and then there was Deraney, six strokes off the pace at 3-over following rounds of 75 and 72.

Deraney opened his final round with four birdies on his first seven holes to go out in 3-under 33. He was still 3-under after 14 holes and then lightning struck. The Belden resident birdied his last four holes to secure the title.

Patterson closed with a respectable 1-under 71 while Vincent slipped back into third following a final round 75.

It was Deraney's third straight Mississippi Mid-Amateur title, following his win last year at Tupelo Country Club and his 2020 victory at Castlewood Country Club, adding to an impressive list of championships which include wins at the Mississippi State Amateur (2018), Kentucky Mid-Amateur (2016-17), Canadian Mid-Amateur (2018-19), Stocker Cup (2016, '19), Timuquana Cup (2016), and Carlton Woods Invitational (2018). He also finished runner-up at the 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur.