Evan Beck wins U.S. Mid-Beginner in dominant vogue, earns Masters invite

In the end, Evan Beck may have his title emblazoned on the wall within the USGA’s Corridor of Champions. Because of his very good efficiency at Kinloch Golf Membership this week, Beck is the most recent U.S. Mid-Beginner champion.

Beck, a 34-year-old from Virginia, performed magnificently from begin to end this week as he grew to become the primary stroke-play medalist to win the championship since 2008. He completed off his title with a 9-and-8 beatdown of Bobby Massa within the championship match Thursday to assert his first USGA title.

“It’s fairly candy,” he mentioned of lastly profitable a USGA title. “I’ve all the time dreamt of profitable certainly one of these.”

Beck had been shut earlier than, however he’d by no means fairly ascended the mountaintop. He made the championship match of the 2008 U.S. Junior Beginner, beating Jordan Spieth alongside the way in which earlier than shedding to Cameron Peck, and likewise misplaced within the championship match of final 12 months’s U.S. Mid-Am as he fell to Stewart Hagestad. In his residence state, although, Beck was unstoppable.

After sharing medalist honors with Segundo Oliva Pinto after taking pictures rounds of 68 and 65, Beck battled his solution to the semis, profitable three of his first 4 matches on the 18th gap or later. As soon as he reached the ultimate 4, Beck left little doubt. He gained his semifinal match over Stephen Behr Jr. 5 and three earlier than simply dispatching of Massa within the 36-hole ultimate.

“To get all the way in which there and are available up quick [twice] is gut-wrenching,” Beck mentioned. “To have the ability to push via and show that you are able to do it to your self, greater than something, it’s fairly superior.”

With the win, Beck turns into the primary native Virginian to win a USGA title since Lauren Greenlief on the 2015 U.S. Girls’s Mid-Beginner. The win strikes Beck to No. 32 within the World Beginner Golf Rating and earns him a spot within the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Nation Membership. As well as, he’ll all however actually obtain an invite to subsequent spring’s Masters.

“You’ve seen me cry like thrice,” Beck mentioned. “I’m in all probability going to do some extra of that later.”

Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com the place he spends his days running a blog, producing and modifying. Previous to becoming a member of the crew at GOLF, he attended the College of Texas adopted by stops with the Texas Golf Affiliation, Group USA, the Inexperienced Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all issues instruction and covers novice and ladies’s golf. He may be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.