Date: August 19-20, 2023
Course: Cottonwood Creek
Defending Champion: Jake Blenden
Saturday Weather: 106 / Wind S 11mph
Sunday Weather: 109 / Wind NE 9 mph
Final Round Recap:
There is no substitute for speed in sports and Jake Blenden possesses a lot speed...in his golf swing. He combined superior length and accuracy off tee with excellent putting to card rounds of 69-70=139 to win his third City title and second in a row. A strong charge out of the gate Sunday with birdies on holes 2, 3, 4, & 5. helped him win by 2 strokes over first round leader Corbin Null (67-74=141) and Mason Mikeska (71-70=141). Bruce Popp shot (75-69=144) for fourth place and new Baylor golf assistant Cory Donnell and Bo Johnson tied for 5th at 145.
Highlights from Jake’s round were holing a 50 ft., right to left breaking putt on #4 for birdie, a nine iron to three feet to set up a birdie on the par 3 #14, a short iron second shot to the par 5 15th to set up an easy two-putt birdie and an excellent chip from over the green on #16 leading to a tap in par save. Jake shot 33-37-70 in the final round with six birdies, 2 bogeys and 1 double bogey.
Tournament Notes:
The Championship Flight cut was 76.
There were some new and difficult hole locations for Sunday's final round.
The greens have recovered nicely from a cold, dry winter and a battle with poannua. They held approach shots and putted with good speed all weekend.
Bruce Popp had the low round Sunday with a 69.
There were three active golf coaches in the field: Goble and Donnell from Baylor and Keith Mikeska from Midway.
Past Champions in the field: Jake Blenden, Mason Mikeska, John Derrick, Jay Goble
Current/Former MCC Golfers in the field: Nick Blaylock, Jake Blenden, Mason Mikeska, John Derrick, Bruce Popp, Cade Miller, Lance Avants
Championship Flight
1 Jake Blenden 69-70=139
T2 Corbin Null 67-74=141
T2 Mason Mikeska 71-70=141
4th Bruce Popp 75-69=144
T5th Cory Donnell 73-72=145
T5th Bo Johnson 72-73=145
T7th Cade Miller 75-71=146
T7th Kevin Black 72-74=146
T9th John Derrick 70-78=148
T9th John Donahue 74-74=148
11th Nick Blaylock 70-79=149
12th Jay Goble 75-77=152
13th Reid Jacobs 74-79=153
T14th Brad Hill 74-80=154
T14th Bryson Pike 76-78=154
T14th Benny Steensen 76-78=154
17th Corbin Conradt 76-82=158
18th Monte West 76-88=164
First Round Recap:
Midway High School standout and Baylor Golf commit Corbin Null fired a blistering 67 to take the first round lead by 2 strokes over defending champion Jake Blenden. Null's spectacular round included birdies on #4 and #5 and two good par saves coming in on #16 & #17 This is Corbin's first Waco City Championship.
Former champion John Derrick and current MCC golfer Nick Blaylock are 3 strokes back at 70. Blenden holed his approach on #18 for an eagle 2. Derrick was -4 thru 16 holes but suffered two bogeys coming in. Blaylock had a steady round with four birdies and two bogeys. Former champion Mason Mikeska shot 71 and Bo Johnson had a 72.
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