DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
When Weslaco High senior McLean Beckwith wrapped up his Day 2 of the Region IV-6A tournament on Tuesday, he knew he had done well.
Beckwith scored a 68, rebounding nicely after shooting 79 on Day 1 on Monday, but he wasn’t sure that was enough to advance him to state.
“I wasn’t too confident,” said Beckwith, whose 68 on Day 2 was the tournament’s second-best round of the day. “But it held off. We were even about to leave. My parents almost drove off with my clubs.”
Instead, a play-off ensued, and Beckwith prevailed over Brownsville Hanna’s Santiago Garcia to earn the third and final individual qualifying spot to move on to the state tournament April 25-26 at Legacy Hills Golf Course. Beckwith knocked in a straight and flat 10-foot putt to make birdie on the play-off, and that was enough. The top three teams and top three individuals not on those top three teams move on to state.
Beckwith is the first Panthers boys golfer to make it to state under coach Chris Gracia, who has coached at the school since 2002.
“I was nervous, but I just tried to keep positive thoughts and focus on the task at hand,” Beckwith said of his play-off win. “I knew I had a good putt walking up to it.”
Beckwith and Garcia produced drastic reversal of fortunes. Beckwith finished tied for sixth with Garcia after he ended Day 1 tied for 29th. Garcia, however, dropped significantly after he was tied for first place after Day 1, shooting a 78 after scoring 69 on Day 1.
It was the complete opposite for Beckwith.
“Day 1 wasn’t too bad,” Beckwith said. “I just had some unlucky breaks. Day 2, I just went for all the pins and played really aggressive.”
Beckwith is one of two Class 6A and 5A boys players from the upper and Mid-Valley to make it to state. The other is Sharyland High freshman Jun Min Lee. Lee, who goes by “Jimmy,” shot a two-day score of 143 to advance to the Class 5A state tournament on April 25-26 at Wolfdancer Golf Club.
Lee shot a Day 2 score of 72 after shooting 71 on Monday. He is the first Rattler freshman to make the boys golf state tournament.
“The competition was great. The course was great,” Lee said. “I knew the guys, and I knew to win I had to stay under par. My score was good, but I honestly feel like I didn’t play that well. I had a rough back-nine (holes) where I missed a lot of steady putts. It’s golf. Missing by a millimeter can mean a bad shot.
“I got a little too positive toward the end. I shot three-under after eight holes and I started feeling good. I lost my zone a bit. I had a bad putt, it got into my head and I just know I can’t let that happen. I have to kill that early.”
Lee, who has a 74.1 average this season, has dominated most tournaments, but it was a round during a personal tournament recently when he shot a 94 that changed his way of thinking.
“It hit me hard,” Lee said. “I hadn’t shot that high in three or four years, and at the worst time, going into district, I shot the highest score in my life. It shocked me. But I talked to my coaches and teammates. I re-committed to my game and I told myself I’m not going to play bad. Period. I changed my mental mindset. I know my long game is there. My short game is there. My swing is fine. It’s all about the mind, and that’s where I’m at right now.”
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Region IV-6A Boys Meet
April 12, 2016
Republic Golf Course
Second Round
Par = 72
Boys
Team Scores
T-1. San Antonio Johnson 295-304-599
T-1. San Antonio Brandeis 296-303-599
T-1. New Braunfels 305-294-599
4. San Antonio Reagan 311-314-625
5. San Antonio O’Connor 310-322-632
6. Weslaco High 322-312-634
7. Brownsville Hanna 308-333-641
8. Harlingen High 308-336-644
9. Laredo Alexander 325-330-655
10. Smithson Valley 328-339-667
T-11. Corpus Christi Ray 331-344-675
T-11. Laredo United 340-335-675
13. McAllen Memorial 346-345-691
14. McAllen High 352-348-700
15. PSJA North 355-346-701
16. Corpus Christi King 352-369-721
Individual Scores
1. Christopher Kane, S.A. Warren, 69-66-135
2. Gabe Castilleja, New Braunfels, 72-70-142
3. Andres Acevedo, S.A. Brandeis, 72-71-143
4. Johnny Keefer, S.A. Johnson, 72-72-144
5. Cole Donielson, S.A. Churchill, 71-75-146
T-6. McLean Beckwith, Weslaco High, 79-68-147
T-6. Santiago Garcia, Brownsville Hanna, 69-78-147
8. Garrett Martin, S.A. Johnson, 73-75-148
T-9. Nick Duggan, S.A. O’Connor, 75-75-150
T-9. Charles Gambrel, Del Rio, 71-79-150
T-9. Ricardo Lopez, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, 73-77-150
T-12. Trenton Leffingworth, New Braunfels, 76-75-151
T-12. Troy Lopez, Corpus Christi Carroll, 77-74-51
T-12. Trent Oliver, S.A. Brandeis, 74-77-151
T-12. Bailey Burgett, S.A. Brandeis, 74-77-151
T-12. Tyler Thurmond, S.A. Reagan, 75-76-151
T-12. Darryl Fulgham, New Branfels, 78-73-151
T-18. Mike Yang, S.A. Brennan, 76-78-154
T-18. Gerardo Daniel, S.A. Johnson, 74-80-154
20. Matthew McCarthy, New Braunfels, 79-76-155.
Region IV-5A Boys Meet
April 12, 2016
Republic Golf Course
Second Round
Par = 72
Boys
Team Scores
1. Austin Vandegrift ‘Black’ 285-275-560
2. Alamo Heights 299-298-597
3. Austin Vandegrift ‘Silver’ 297-302-599
4. Boerne Champion 304-298-602
5. Victoria East 305-301-606
6. Sharyland High 312-317-629
7. Edinburg Vela 327-320-647
8. Uvalde 328-322-650
9. San Antonio Southside 324-331-655
10. Victoria West 336-337-673
11. Edcouch-Elsa 356-335-691
12. Bastrop Cedar Creek 347-358-705
13. Bastrop 356-351-707
14. Mercedes 374-383-757
15. San Antonio Brackenridge 449-422-871
16. San Antonio Harlandale 463-443-906
Individual Scores
1. Cooper Dossey, Austin Vandegrift ‘Black,’ 66-68-134
2. Tobin Niblett, Austin Vandegrift ‘Black,’ 76-64-140
T-3. Mac Meissner, Alamo Heights, 70-71-141
T-3. Jake Stevenson, Boerne Champion, 70-71-141
5. Brandon Hoff, Austin Vandegrift ‘Black,’ 70-72-142
6. Jun Min Lee, Sharyland High, 71-72-143
T-7. Lucas Mylet, Austin Vandegrift ‘Black,’ 73-71-144
T-7. Ben Lake, Victoria East, 69-75-144
T-9. Daniel Martinez, Austin Vandegrift ‘Silver,’ 70-76-146
T-9. Levi Valadez, Alamo Heights, 77-69-146
T-11. Ben Dunne, Cedar Park, 75-72-147
T-11. Daniel Montes, Cedar Park, 72-75-147
13. Jose Perez, Alice, 71-77-148
T-14. Clayton King, Uvalde, 73-76-149
T-14. Hunter Redding, Victoria East, 73-76-149
T-16. Luke Dossey, Austin Vandegrift ‘Silver,’ 74-76-150
T-16. Chan Pham, Boerne Champion, 77-73-150
T-18. Canaan Vasquez, Edcouch-Elsa, 77-75-152
T-18. Jacob Flores, PSJA High, 79-73-152
T-20. Justin Martinez, Edcouch-Elsa, 77-76-153
T-20. Heath Noonan, Castroville Medina Valley, 78-75-153
T-20. Wyatt Speaks, Austin Vandegrift ‘Black,’ 77-76-153