Mack begins quest to make cut for the Rocket Mortgage after taking Shippen Qualifier
By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
The Drama starts early
(Detroit, Mich.) When you shoot a 9-under par 63 on Day one of the John Shippen qualifier tournament, Willie Mack III had every right to believe he had the tournament in the bag with 18 holes to play. A five shot lead for Mack over amateur Marcus Smith, before Day 2 and Mack could appear to coast. That is not how golf is played and the five shot lead almost evaporated by the sixth hole. A bogey for Willie on the Par 5 second and a double bogey on the par three fifth and the race is on.
Marcus Smith cards a nine on the Second Hole
Marcus Smith, like Mack III, had trouble on the second. He carded a nine on the par four second hole and had a quadruple bogey on the 5th. Where Smith went out in three under in his round of 68 on Day 1. Smith’s tumble down the leaderboard continued throughout round two. His 82 gave him a finish of T-9.
Rising Up the Final Day Leaderboard
Not everyone took a deep dive on Day 2. With the swirling and sometimes blowing wind throughout the day, it cooled both the golfers and the scores.
Kevin Hall went three under on the front nine. >>> He carded a two over 74 on Day one changed his fortunes. Hall started out with birdies on three of the first seven holes and added another on ten. A bogey and a birdie on 14/15 stopped his progress. Hall posted the best score of the day by two shots over Cameron Riley. Hall’s scorecard is below.
Andrew Walker III, a Pro who played collegiately at Michigan State, also got off to a fast start after an opening round of 72. Walker III had four birdies and a bogey through ten holes and was playing his into a possible finish in the money. Then Walker III gave it all back with four bogeys on the back nine to finish 75-72- +3.
Nyasha Mauchaza, played Day 1 at 4 under 68. Day 2 saw him like most golfers, neutralized by the wind at DGC. He traded birdies and bogeys three times on the day and never got the push to make a charge. Mauchaza had two backnine birdies against a bogey and finishes second.
Willie Mack III is the most experienced player in the Shippen tournament. In 2021, he received a sponsors exemption and made the cut. He has played in the Shippen several times trying to play his way into the tournament. Willie has played eight PGA tournaments in his career and has cashed in two of them for just under 30K in career earnings. After seeing his lead go to two strokes, Mack put together three birdies against a bogey on the back nine. He carded a two-over 74 to go with his opening round of 63 to win by three strokes. “It’s always good to win, especially in conditions like these today,” Mack said. “I played well yesterday, wasn’t going my way today but I kind of just stuck in there, Keep telling myself I’m playing good and you’ll hit some good shots and hopefully something falls and it did in the end.” So, Rollercoaster Willie wins John Shippen Qualifier for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. The real fun begins on Thursday.
The John Shippen Tournament Website
Coming Down the Stretch
Wind was the equalizer on Day 2. Big gusts and a constant pressure at 16 MPH minimum kept any big runs by players at bay. Mack went out in 39 and finally got back on track with B2B birdies on 12 and 13. His lead was back to four and his birdie on 18 made a bad day for Willie respectful and more importantly, a spot in the Rocket Mortgage tournament.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational, men will compete in a 36-hole stroke play competition at Detroit Golf Club June 21 – 23, and the winner will once again receive an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic (June 25 – June 30).
Scoreboard
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net