Tyler Mawhinney delivers a strong opening statement in leading Fleming Island to Region title

Mawhinney’s eagle-two at the first hole is one of two he made in posting a bogey-free 67 at Fleming Island

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Fleming Island High senior Tyler Mawhinney shot a 7-under 64 to lead his team to a region title.
Mawhinney’s round included an eagle-two on the first hole and a 4-foot eagle putt on the 16th.
The Fleming Island boys’ team is aiming for its third consecutive state championship.

FLEMING ISLAND – The air was crisp and the dew was still on the grass when Fleming Island High senior Tyler Mawhinney hit the shot that showed he may be the player to beat in the FHSAA Class 2A state tournament in two weeks.

Mawhinney lofted a 60-degree wedge from 89 yards onto the green at the par-4 first hole, then watched it spin into the cup for an eagle-two. When the ball dropped, he raised both arms in triumph.

It was a startling beginning to a bogey-free round for the 2023 Class 3A state champion as he finished with a 7-under 64 that later included a 4-foot eagle putt at the par-5 16th hole. Mawhinney beat Brayden Pederson of Alachua Santa Fe by nine shots in the individual standings and led the Golden Eagles to their second consecutive region title by 13 shots over Tallahassee Lincoln at 6-over 290.

Fleming Island coach Bruce Cloud said it didn’t take long for news of the eagle-two to reach the rest of the team as they played ahead of Mawhinney, who was playing in the final group.

“I was one of the last people to find out,” Cloud said. “Word has a way of spreading on a shot like that. I think it fired them up. Tyler is a special, special player … a generational player. We’re not going to get a kid like that every year.”

Mawhinney has posted the low score in 10 regional tournaments so far, with two more to be played on Nov. 5. Among the low scores was a 67 by Sohan Patel of Broward American Heritage in the Region 4-2A tournament. Patel outdueled Mawhinney by four shots to win last year’s state individual title.

Fleming Island will play in the state tournament Nov. 18-19 at the Mission Inn Resort on Howey-in-the-Hills and is gunning for a third championship in a row. The Golden Eagles won the Class 3A state title by 23 shots in 2023, dropped down to Class 2A last year and won by 38.

Cloud said that Mawhinney, who has won a USGA National Championship, the Canadian Amateur, the AJGA’s Tournament of Champions, made the cut at the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open and qualified for the Junior Ryder Cup team, is determined to win a second FHSAA title, but also intent on helping the Eagles win another team trophy.

“He would like to win the individual, but he’s focused on getting another team championship,” Cloud said.

The Golden Eagles got a 74 from William McGready, a 75 from Ryan Houck and a 77 from Carson Moore to pull away from Lincoln, which was led by Bryce Matthews (74) and Chase Fleischer (75).

Cloud said those scores behind Mawhinney need to be better, and those players have the time to polish their games with the 2A tournament coming the latest on the state championship schedule.

Fleming Island also had to play hard after winning the District 2-2A tournament last week by 44 shots at the Palatka Golf Club. Mawhinney shot 66 to edge Houck by one shot for medalist.

“We were in a battle for the first six or seven holes with Lincoln, neck and neck,” Cloud said. “Will McGready had a good day. He’s been steady the entire season. If we can get Ryan back to play Ryan Golf and settle Carson and Alex [Blom] down, I think we’ve got a good chance at the state. We got pushed today, and that’s always a good way to find out what you need to work on.”

Beachside, Providence score razor-thin victories

In other boys’ regional tournaments, Beachside and Providence won team titles, but it was nerve-wracking to the end.

Beachside (15-over 303) nipped Ponte Vedra by one shot, Fletcher by four and Tocoi Creek by six in the Region 1-3A tournament on Nov. 3 at the Twin Rivers Golf Club in Oviedo.

Jonah Nacional of the Barracudas shared medalist honors with Jackson Runquist of Fletcher at even-par 72, while Jaspreet Kondal of Beachside and Ambrose Kinnare of Tocoi Creek tied for third at 1-over 73.

Ponte Vedra, led by Jude Johnson (75) and Jake Mason and Cooper Franklin (76 each) nearly pulled off a late rally. The Sharks shot 2-under as a team on the final three holes, while Beachside and Fletcher were 3-over.

Tocoi Creek and district champion Fletcher may yet make the 3A state tournament Nov. 11-12 at Mission Inn as at-large teams. The final rankings will be determined by the end of the day on Nov. 6. For now, Runquist and Kinnare are in the state tournament as individuals.

Alexander Stewart of Providence birdied three of his last six holes for a 71 and that proved to be the difference as the Stallions shot 4-over 292 to nip Episcopal by one shot at the Region 1-1A tournament at the Pensacola Country Club.

Ethan Grossman shot 72, Jack Cole 74 and Keelan Jackson 75 for Providence, while Aubrey Fellows birdied three of four holes during one stretch on the back nine and won the individual title with a 4-under 68, topping Stewart by three.

Both Providence and Episcopal will play in the 1A state tournament Nov. 14-15.

Ponte Vedra, Bolles girls win

Stella Moritz went on a back-nine birdie binge at the Hawkstone Golf Club in Gainesville and posted a 4-under 68 to lead Ponte Vedra to a 14-shot victory over Nease in the girls Region 1-3A at 8-over 296. Moritz turned at even par, then birdied Nos. 10, 11, 13, 16, 17 and 18, more than offsetting a double bogey at the 15th hole. She edged Sofia Rivera of Beachside by one shot. … Charlotte Xia (74) and Nina Santiago (76) contributed to the Sharks’ team victory. Nease was led by Hazel Peters (73) and Sophia Cavanaugh (74). Rivera is joined as an individual qualifier by Sophia Stiwich of Flagler Palm Coast (72). … Chloe McGrath of Bolles started and finished strong to lead Bolles (312) to a 22-shot victory over Tallahassee Maclay in the Region 1-1A girls tournament at Eagle Harbor. McGrath birdied four of her first seven holes, then Nos. 17 and 18 to tie Sahanna Chokshi of Episcopal for medalist at 4-under 68. Grace Brefitt shot even-par 72 for Bolles. Chokshi will go to the state tournament as an individual player and has been a co-medalist in both the district and region tournaments. … Stanton is going to the Class 2A girls state tournament after finishing second by five shots to Santa Rosa Beach South Walton in the Region 1-2A tournament at the Quail Heights Country Club in Lake City. Lily Chiang had only one bogey and posted a 4-under 67 to win the individual tournament by one shot over Akery Paing of Wolfson.

FHSAA Regional golf tournaments

(Top two teams and top individuals not on those teams qualify for state tournaments. At-large teams and individuals will be announced later this week).

Boys

1-3A, at Twin Rivers Golf Club, Oviedo

Automatic qualifiers

Beachside (303): Jonah Nacional 72, Jaspreet Kondal 73, Jaden Nacional 78, Palmer Scott 80, Samuel Ha 83. Ponte Vedra (304): Jude Johnson 75, Cooper Franklin 76, Jake Mason 76, James Nagle 77, Easton Oliva 80. Individuals: Jackson Runquist (Fletcher) 72, Ambrose Kinnare (Tocoi Creek) 73.

1-2A, at Golf Club of Fleming Island

Automatic qualifiers

Fleming Island (290): Tyler Mawhinney 64, William McCready 74, Ryan Houck 75, Carson Moore 77, Alexander Blom 81. Tallahasse Lincoln (303): Bryce Matthews 74, Chase Fleischer 75, Brandon Hawkes 76, Williams Young 78, Ethan Lafuria 88. Individuals: Brayden Pedersen (Alachua Santa Fe) 73, Will Wiggins (West Nassau), Michael Rattigan (Wolfson), Jack Cook (Santa Rosa Beach South Walton), Dawson Wooley (Live Oak Suwannee), Turner Hersey (Palatka) 74.

1-1A, at Pensacola Country Club

Automatic qualifiers

Providence (292): Alexander Stewart 71, Ethan Grossman 72, Jack Cole 74, Keelan Jackson 75, Gavin Ring 83. Episcopal (293): Aubrey Fellows 68, Brody Tran 72, Baker Eller 75, Dylan Tran 78, Landon Pittman 82. Individuals: Wilmer Mitchell (Pensacola Catholic) 72, Ian Morris (Pensacola Catholic) 72.

Girls

1-3A, at Hawkstone Golf Club, Gainesville

Automatic qualifiers

Ponte Vedra (296): Stella Moritz 68, Charlotte Xia 74, Nina Santiago 76, Kennedy Hronek 78, Lauren Barned 80. Nease (310): Hazel Peters 73, Sophia Cavanagh 74, Chloe Frank 81, Clara Capelle 82, Laney Siebert 84. Individuals: Sofia Rivera (Beachside) 69, Sophia Stiwich (Flagler Palm Coast) 72.

1-2A, at Quail Heights Country Club, Lake City

Automatic qualifiers

Santa Rosa Beach South Walton (348): Neely Knight 70, Lily Martin 71, Jordan Houston 103, Sophia Franchi 104, Marlee Owens 109. Stanton (353): Lily Chiang 67, Alyssa Hardy 80, Olivia Woods 96, Camille Buss 110, Sage Poor 114. Individuals: Akery Paing (Wolfson) 68, Ryan Donaldson (Live Oak Suwannee) 70.

1-1A, at Eagle Harbor

Automatic qualifiers

Bolles (312): Chloe McGrath 68, Grace Brefitt 72, Riley Powell 79, Ellyn Park 93, Anya Shah 97. Tallahassee Maclay (334): Millie Sprague 80, Tessa Cooper 80, Trisha Patel 82, Addie Sprague 92, Reece Erwin 92. Individuals: Sahana Chokshi (Episcopal) 68, Peyton Johnson (Tallahassee Florida High) 70.