Evan Beck wins US Mid-Amateur to earn spots in the Masters and US Open

MANAKIN-SABOT, Va. (AP) — Evan Beck finally won a USGA title Thursday when he overwhelmed Bobby Massa, 9 and 8, to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur, earning a spot in the Masters and the U.S. Open next year.

Beck was runner-up in the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur and last year in the U.S. Mid-Amateur.

This one was never in doubt for the 34-year-old from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Beck played bogey-free in the morning 18 holes at Kinloch Golf Club to build an 8-up lead over Massa. It was the second-largest margin of victory in the U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Beck joined George Zahringer (2001-02) as the only players to lose in the championship match of the U.S. Mid-Amateur and win the next year.

“To get all the way there and come up short is gut-wrenching. To be able to push through and prove that you can do it to yourself, more than anything, it’s pretty awesome,” Beck said.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf