Overstreet caps stellar year with Patriot All-America victory

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. — A year to remember for Mason Overstreet got a little bit sweeter on the final day of 2017, as he cruised to a six-shot victory at the 2017 Patriot All-America Invitational at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park.

In a loaded event that features 84 PING All-America golfers from all three NCAA Divisions, Overstreet ran away from the field with a final round 6-under 64 to capture a six-shot victory.

He rolled in nine birdies in the final round, including birdies in five of the first seven holes.

Overstreet bested defending champion and Ole Miss Rebel Braden Thornberry by 11 shots. Thornberry not only won the event last year, but also defeated Overstreet for the NCAA individual title in June. In all, the Razorback standout defeated 11 Southeastern Conference players in the field.

For the weekend, Overstreet posted rounds of 67-68-64 – 199 (-11), recording 19 birdies and one eagle to earn a statement victory on the final day of the calendar year.

Every player at the Patriot All-America honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a golf bag bearing the name of that soldier.

At the conclusion of the tournament, the golf bags are shipped to players’ schools and auctioned with all proceeds benefiting the Folds of Honor Foundation, which provides post-secondary educational scholarships for children and spouses of military service men and women killed or disabled while in active service.

The Patriot All-America has featured a slew of current PGA TOUR players, including 2017 US Open champion Brooks Koepka (2011), 2017 PGA Championship winner and FedEx Cup champion Justin Thomas (2011), Patrick Rodgers (2011), Daniel Berger (2012) and Bryson DeChambeau (2013).

In what was an incredible year for Overstreet, he finished runner-up at the NCAA National Championship, became the first Razorback freshman to finish at even par or better at the SEC Championship and captured his first collegiate win this fall at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate.

Overstreet and the Razorbacks return to action in February, playing the spring opener at TPC Sawgrass for the Sea Best Invitational. The two-day event is scheduled for Feb. 5-6 in Ponte Vedra, Florida.