FLEMING ISLAND - With eight of 18 holes finishing as birdies, Fleming Island junior golfer Tyler Mawhinney, the defending Class 3A champion and the leader of the Class 3A team champion Golden Eagles golf team, showed off his tactical prowess with a dominating performance and win at the Randy Warren Invitational held Monday, September 30 at the Fleming Island Golf Club. Ironically, the Warren tournament had been moved from its original September 11 date due to the weather.
"The rain that we have had, I think 10 days straight in 14 days, has been tough on my game," said Mawhinney, who has been on a national type tour of tournaments around the country and in Canada before returning to join his Golden Eagles' team. "I only get to play with these guys for three months of the year and you always want to play for the team. I had one tournament with a team over the summer, but the rest were individual tournaments."
Mawhinney's travels have him in and out of tournaments all over North America, but he noted that jet lag has not been a factor.
"I played a tournament in Maryland, then went to Canada, then got in the US Amateur and flew to Minnesota," said Mawhinney. "I flew straight to Vanderbilt (Vanderbilt University in Tennessee) for a visit, came home, played a high school event, and left the next morning for Auburn. I came home for a day and then went to the University of Florida. I was gone for close to five weeks in a row, then I came home and it rained for like 14 days. I didn't get to work much on my swing and I think I really need to."
At the Randy Warren Invite, Mawhinney finished with a 3-under 33 for the front nine at the Fleming Island Golf Club before obliterating the back nine with birdies on five holes including the five par, 528-yard 16th hole to push his lead entering the final two holes. Mawhinney finished with a fifth birdie on 17 and a par on 18 with a rare missed five-foot putt.
"I think I missed just one green on 17," said Mawhinney. "I like to play with the team and if I have a risky situation, I would take the easy stroke so we can win the team title. I would rather us win the team title more than my own title."
For the team scores, Fleming Island, now in Class 2A, dominated with a 273 total to finish 12 strokes ahead of runnerup Creekside, in Class 3A, with a 285, and Beachside in third at 286. '
"This is only like the second or third match that we got to play 18 without weather," said Mawhinney. "I try to keep my flexibility and tightness work going when I can't get hit on the course."
Behind Mawhinney, senior Dylan Frein tied for second with a 67 score with senior Emmett Kuhlenkamp hitting a birdie on 18 to finish a strong sixth with a 69. Frein tied with Bolles senior Luke Balaskiewicz. Jake Mason of Ponte Vedra, now in Class 3A, and 3A-Spruce Creek's Gabe Hull tied with Mason for fourth.
Clay High's Jack Newell had a solid 34 with two birdies on the front nine but fell with two double bogies on the back nine to finish with an even-par 72 for 15th tied with six golfers.
St. Johns Country Day School was led by freshman Beckham Cummings in 39th place with a 4-over 76 with Middleburg's Jackson Bork, a sophomore, in 50th with a 79 score.
Ridgeview's top finisher was senior Joseph Derosa at 68th with an 82 with Keystone Heights senior Ty Mitzel in at 74 with teammate Jacob Beach, both tied at 84.