JAMESTOWN — The experience of having played a state tournament on the NorthStar Golf Club course two years ago, and the support and coaching he received ever since, helped propel Greeneview junior Mason Witt to the 2019 Division II state golf championship title, Oct. 12 in Sunbury.
Witt shot a 6-over-par 150 to claim a one-stroke win over Gahanna Columbus Academy golfers Russell Ahmed and Matthew Cammeyer, and Upper Sandusky’s Brett Montgomery.
He shared the first-round lead with Uhrichsville Claymont golfer Cameron Henry after shooting an even-par round of 72 on the first day of the tournament. Witt was at or near the top of the leaderboard for most of the second day, but had a rough start to the back nine on Saturday.
“At the start of the last back nine of the second day, I started off rough,” Witt said in a phone interview on Monday. “I had a double-bogey and a bogey, but I was able to finish with six pars in a row to win the tournament by one stroke.
“…”At that time, it was a little nerve wracking. But I knew that I just had to get my head on straight, make a comeback and see what happened,” he said.
Witt missed the 2018 tournament after coming one stroke shy of advancing. The year before as a freshman, the Greeneview Ram placed second overall with a 3-under 141, but lost to Charlie Toman of Chardon’s Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin.
“That first time helped me, for sure,” Witt said. “It helped me to learn from my mistakes, the first time that I played the tournament. I knew where to go on certain holes, what to watch for. That helped a lot.”
Witt, who has already committed to play collegiate golf at Xavier University in Cincinnati, said he was very thankful for the support he received both during the season and at the tournament.
“I want to thank my coach, Kevin Jones, for helping me become the player I am and for being able to go up there and win. I’d like to thank my family for helping me and supporting me with everything I do in golf, and I want to thank my friends for coming up and supporting me that weekend. It really helped when they showed up,” he said.
Witt becomes the first golf state champion at Greeneview High. He said it made him proud to know that he was the school’s first. With one title under his belt, he’d now like to go back to the state tournament and bring back another crown.
“I’d definitely like to go back next season and win it again,” he said.
