Back nine magic for Mason

COLUMBUS - After two incredible rounds, which had him three shots in the lead of the Wells Fargo Nebraska Open, it looked like Nick Mason, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was fading in the final 18 Sunday.

His magical birdies and chip-ins from the day before just weren't falling for him as he went through the 12th hole at even par on the day. That wouldn't have been all bad, but Ben Pettitt, of Carroll, and Mike Schuchart, of Lincoln, were both charging hard on his heels. Pettitt dropped a three on the par four 14, making him 7-under on the day and only one stroke behind Mason.

Mason's strategy had failed him.

“I went out with the mindset that they had to come after me, and that wasn't the right mindset,” Mason said. “They did come after me -hard.”

So, with six holes to go, Mason changed his game plan and began to play aggressively for the win. Risky perhaps, but at the rate Pettitt and Schuchart were going, they might catch him in one or two key putts. Mason opened up, hoping he could prove himself and win his first professional tournament.

That was all he needed.

Mason would sink three straight birdie putts at 13, 14, and 15 to seal his victory as Pettitt and Schuchart shot even the rest of the way. A bogey at the par-3 17th caused Mason some chagrin as it was his first bogey of the day. His 4-foot putt rimmed out on the left side, and he walked tight-lipped over to the 18th after tapping in for four.

“I hadn't had a bogey since the 10th hole yesterday,” Mason said. “I was aiming at the middle of the cup and it ran left.”

He didn't allow anger to mess up his round, however, as he teed off with a hefty drive that split the fairway. His next shot caught the front edge of the green on the long par-four 18th hole. Then, with a small crowd watching around the final green, Mason lined up and sank a 35-foot putt for an emphatic ending to his 14-under-par 199 tournament victory.

As his ball trickled toward the hole on that final putt, Mason let out his bottled-up emotion, taking a couple of strides forward and pumping his fist as the ball dropped gently under the rim of the cup.

“You hit putts sometimes and you visualize them before you hit them,” Mason said. “It's not often that they go just as you visualize them. It felt good when I hit it ... I was so excited.”

Schuchart had the final putt of the tournament, a par attempt of around six feet to tie Pettitt for second place at a 10-under 203. The putt teetered on the right side of the cup and fell in, drawing a big cheer from the crowd. Mike Plate, of Ogallala, who was in second place going into the final round, faded during the day and finished tied for fifth-place with a 7-under-par 206. Jason Preeo, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., finished fourth.

With the victory, Mason won $11,500, followed by Pettitt and Schuchart, who both earned $7,000 for their play.

The top amateur for the Open was Kevin Oswald, of Omaha, shooting a 68 Sunday to end with a 212. He won $750 for his efforts.

“It was enjoyable,” Oswald said. “The whole course was in good shape. I played the par-3's well and putted really solid the whole tournament. You've also got to hit the fairways here, it's a really tough course.”

Greg Pohlmann, a senior at Lakeview High School, wound up finishing fifth among amateurs at the tournament after shooting a 76 on the final day for a final score of 220.

The tournament organizers were pleased with the results of the Open and how the course played.

“I thought it was a huge success,” Head golf pro Mike Vun Cannon said. “I've been here for 12 of the 16 years, and I think we've hit the nail on the head again.”

Several of the golfers mentioned the excellent condition of the golf course following their rounds and Vun Cannon gave the compliments directly to Denny Sliva, the course manager. He said that Craig Jelinek, club manager, also did excellent work in helping run the tournament.

“The greens were perfect and the course was in great shape,” Vun Cannon said. “That's why these (golfers) keep coming back year after year.”

FINAL RESULTS

Top 10

1. Nick Mason 199, 2. Ben Pettitt and Mike Schuchart 203, 4. Jason Preeo 205, 5. Mike Plate and Rodney Hamblin 206, 7. Jon Olson, Sam Proal, Charlie Rudd and Derek Lamely 207.