Xuan Luo (AmateurGolf.com Photo)
Consistency was rewarded at Corica Park South Course, the home course of AmateurGolf.com, in Alameda, Calif., in the AmateurGolf.com 2023 Winter Invitational, presented by Callaway Golf.
Xuan Luo of San Jose, Calif., shot two rounds of 69 to finish 6-under and win the Championship Division by two shots.
While the tournament was blessed in the first round with perfect weather, the final round was not as fortunate, as cooler temperatures, steady rain, and wind moved in.
The San Jose State University freshman recorded four birdies in his first eight holes to propel into a one-shot lead at 7-under. Luo started his back nine with a bogey, par, double bogey.
"It is actually pretty funny," Luo said. "I have a bad record checking scores on the final day, so I rarely look at scores when I am playing, but today I checked my score after nine holes because I shot 4-under on the front, and I thought I might be close to the lead and when I checked it, I was leading by one. And right after that, I made a bogey on 10 and a double bogey on 12, and that was it. No more phone and score checking."
Luo added, "And after that, I made a couple of birdies and was able to close it out. So I am glad I did not know where I stood."
Virginia Tech commit Leonardo Vieira of San Leandro, Calif., and San Jose State freshman Avinash Iyer of San Ramon, Calif., finished T2 with a score of 4-under. University of Washington junior Justin Hopkins of Danville, Calif., and Saint Mary's College Senior Zach Missigman of Goodyear, Ariz., finished T4 at 3-under.
In the first round, Luo had six birdies, one bogey, and a double bogey to start the tournament with a 3-under 69.
Luo, whose teammates call him XL, was standing in the fairway on No. 18 with a tough approach shot and the championship there for the taking from 142 yards.
Cooper Mapes"It was a little downwind, so I tried to jump on a pitching wedge," Luo said. "I hit a low draw into the green, and it hit pin high, and it jumped 15 or 17 feet past the hole. I was really happy with that shot."
Luo made his par comfortably and secured his championship win.
AJ Fitzgerald of Salinas, Calif., finished at 2-under and in solo sixth place to round out the under-par finishers.
Cooper Mapes of Pleasanton, Calif., recorded his first ever hole-in-one, acing the par-3 No. 5 with a pitching wedge from 133 yards out. Mapes finished T43 at 7-over for the tournament, but that hole is one he will never forget.
Craig Miyamoto Senior Championship Division
Craig Miyamoto of Sacramento, Calif., went wire-to-wire in the Senior Championship Division to win by one shot over Greg Parry of Carmichael, Calif.
Miyamoto finished 2-over with rounds of 72-74 and Parry finished at 3-over with rounds of 75-72. Miyamoto also won the championship in 2021 and this year, made it a family affair as his son, Matthew, finished T17 at also shot 2-over in the Championship Division.
Miyamoto struggled to start, recording four bogeys in the first seven holes. However, he was able to get the train back on the tracks with birdies on Holes No. 8, 14, 15, and 17 to finish just 2-over on the day.
Josh Ault of Santa Barbara, Calif., finished at 2-over and was the low Mid-Amateur in the tournament with rounds of 72-74. Ault is a fourth head coach at Westmont College and secured his first Mid-Amateur trophy. Ault led by one heading into the diffcult final two holes and, in the wind and rain, made two pars to defeat Luis Terraza of Santa Rosa, Calif., by a narrow one shot margin.
Michelle Ho of San Ramon, Calif., finished as the woman scorer at 2-over with rounds of 74-72. Jim Williams of Orinda, Calif., finished as the low Super Senior at 13-over with rounds of 79-78.
Josh Ault As Pete Wlodkowski of AmateurGolf.com was packing up and getting ready to head to the San Diego event at Aviara Golf Club, he spotted Xuan Luo heading to his car. Luo kept it short and sweet when he asked how he felt.
I'm over the moon right now." Luo said.
ABOUT THE
AGC Winter Invitational
>> 2023 TOUR PORTAL
The Winter Invitational is now open to all
players who satisfy the handicap
requirements.
Join us at the completely renovated Corica Park
South Course -- it's the home course of
AmateurGolf.com!
This is a gross competition with Championship and
Senior divisions. There will be no Net
division.
DIVISIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP
For players aged 16 and over who have a USGA or
equivalent index of less than 5.5
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
For players age 50 and over (as of the tournament
date) with a handicap index of less than 8.0. Note:
Must be 55 and over for NCGA Senior Points.
MID-AM (subdivision of Championship)
For players age
25-
49. Compete alongside the younger players in the
Championship Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six Mid-Ams,
a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded.
SUPER SENIORS (subdivision of Senior)
For players age
65+. Compete alongside the younger senior players
in
the
Senior Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six players 65
or
over, a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded for low
super senior.
WOMEN (subdivision of Championship)
Will play in the
Championship
Division but
from a shorter tee. If there are at least six women in
the field, a separate prize and trophy will be
awarded.
View Complete Tournament Information