All those years playing golf and
caddying at Wakonda Club paid off for Mike McCoy on a
national stage Sunday.
The setting was still the Wakonda Club on Des Moines’ south
side, but McCoy was playing for the 105th Trans-Mississippi
Amateur title this time.
McCoy came through for a 5 and 4 victory over Bryon Shumate
of Fort Smith, Ark., to win the title of the match-play
tournament.
“I love Wakonda,” McCoy said. “I’m happy to win an important
tournament like this at my home club.”
McCoy is a 1981 Dowling graduate who started caddying at
Wakonda in his pre-teen years while growing up on the south
side. McCoy is now a Wakonda Club member.
“I’ve had great memories of Wakonda throughout the years,”
McCoy said. “I have very fond recollections of all the men I
used to caddie for. They were all great role
models.”
Shumate afterward did not make any excuses about McCoy
playing on his home course.
Shumate, who qualified for the quarterfinals last year, was
playing in his first Trans-Mississippi championship match.
“Mike outplayed me today, so he deserved to win,” Shumate
said. “He was the better player.”
McCoy proved that he could also win the Trans-Mississippi
away from his home course when he won the title in 2000 at
White Bear Lake, Minn.
Still, he admitted there were some advantages to playing on
his home turf.
“There are a few blind shots and you kind of know how the
ball tends to bounce in
certain places here,” he said.
The way the ball bounced played an important role on the
13th hole.
Shumate’s approach shot broke away from the hole and stopped
50 feet away.
McCoy’s approach shot landed
15 feet from the hole and he sank the putt for a 4-up lead.
“That’s the way it goes; that’s golf,” Shumate said.
“Everything can’t be perfect. It’s a hard game.”