Golf: Valley Christian freshman, team take titles

May 15, 2016 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Valley Christian's James Mackie was having a hiccup early in his back-nine in the final round of the Division III Spring Golf Tournament. Not unexpected for a freshman in the heat of competition. 

Mackie composed himself, however, after back-to-back difficult holes Saturday afternoon and rebounded to claim medalist honors at Antelope Hills Golf Course in Prescott.

Valley Christian breezed to its fourth successive team championship with a whopping 39-stroke edge at 12-over par over second-place Sedona Red Rock. Scottsdale Prep was third, Show Low fourth and Empire fifth.

Mackie's 36-hole score of 4-under par was three strokes better than runner-up Cody Goza of Blue Ridge, who finished his final round well ahead of Mackie and other top golfers in the field. That made them beat his 1-under score and the best round of the day (-2).

Mackie was locked in a battle with Goza, Scottsdale Prep's Jake Utley and VC teammate Garrett DeFisser as they made the turn on the back nine. They were even or just a stroke apart. Mackie began pulling away after a biridie at No. 10 and had a 2-shot lead through 11 holes. But a double bogey at 12 and bogey on 13 brought him back to the pack. Through 13 holes Mackie, DeFisser and Utley were tied at -3.

Mackie pulled in front for good with a par on 14 and added three pars and a birdie over his final four holes. Utley and DeFisser faltered a bit the final five holes (Utley was 3-over and DeFisser 4-over in that stretch). Mackie's birdie on 17 enabled him to own a 3-shot lead to the final hole and win without incident at 18.

Valley Christian placed three golfers among the top 10 individuals -- DeFisser was fourth at 1-over for the tournament and RJ David tied for ninth at 7-over. The rest of the top 10 are Utley (third, even-par), Empire's Bodhi Roether (fifth, 4-over), Northwest Christian's Skylar Adams (tie 6th, 5-over), Sedona Red Rock's Seth Farmer (tie 6th, 5-over), Scottsdale Christian's Andrew Ellingsen (8th, 6-over) Sedona Red Rock's Keegan Webster (tie 9th, 7-over.)