Former Amateur Champion Ryan Mccormick Wins College Opener

Ryan McCormick of Suburban, who won the NJSGA State Amateur and Met Amateur in 2012, and a current NJSGA Caddie Scholar at St. John’s University, kicked off his 2014 collegiate season with an impressive victory.

McCormick, a senior, fired a 15-under-par 201 to win the Snowman Getaway at Palm Valley Golf Club in Phoenix. It was the second collegiate victory of his career. McCormick, who resides in Middletown, carded an opening round of 8-under-par 64, a career best, on Monday, before rounding out Day One with a 68 for a two-round best of 132 (-12). He added a 3-under 69 for the 201 total on Tuesday

“My mindset wasn’t any different today than it was yesterday,” said McCormick. “I’m not the type of player who looks at the leaderboards and wants to know where I stand. I can only control what I’m doing and I just went out and stuck to the way I play.”

He did exactly that as he took a two-stroke lead into the final round and birdied two of his first three holes to start the day. After bogeying on his next three out of four holes, McCormick turned things around with five more birdies to end the final round for his three-day total of 201, marking yet another career-best for the St. John’s captain.

“I’m thankful to be around a great team and coach that are so supportive,” stated McCormick, the New Jersey State Player of the Year in 2012.

Heading into the final round holding on to a fifth place lead, the Red Storm finished four strokes over par on Tuesday finish in eighth place overall in the field of 17 with a final total of 866 (+2).

McCormick returns to action on March 10 when St John’s heads to the Grand National Golf Course in Auburn, Ga., for the Auburn Invitational.