The Junior Tour of Northern California has its first national champion.
Southern Methodist University junior Bryson DeChambeau, who was the JTNC Player of the Year in 2011, shot a final round 1-under 71 Monday at The Concession Golf Club in Florida to win the NCAA Championship Individual title by one over runner-up Cheng-Tsung Pan of the University of Washington.
DeChambeau, who hails from Clovis, finished the 72-hole event with a total of 8-under 280. He’s the first SMU player to ever win a national title. The Mustangs claimed the team title in 1954.
“I’m so honored to be named the national champion, the first national champion for SMU,” DeChambeau said. “I can’t say anything else, but thank you to everybody for their support. There’s nothing better to feel.”
DeChambeau made his big move with a second round 67 on Saturday that featured an eagle and five birdies to go against just two bogeys. Starting on the 10th tee, in Monday’s clincher he’d crawl out of the gates with a front-nine 38. After making the turn—and when it counted the most—he’d go bogey-free with three birdies for a 33.
“My stomach was churning the whole time, it was difficult,” DeChambeau said. “Luckily I didn’t have to go into a playoff.”
For DeChambeau, what became an impressive spring run began when he placed second at the American Championship after shooting a conference record 8-under 64 in the final round. Shortly after, he was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, becoming the first Mustangs golfer to win league player of the year honors since Kelly Kraft won Conference USA Player of the Year in 2010.
At the NCAA Noblesville Regional at The Sagamore Club in Indiana, DeChambeau took fifth after shooting 4-under 212. His play helped the Mustang grab a share of the team title with Illinois.
In early May, DeChambeau and partner/SMU teammate Austin Smotherman reached the Round of 16 at the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at the Olympic Club.
As a junior player, DeChambeau was a regular on the JTNC circuit.
“The experience that I had at the JTNC helped me get to a higher level of play as well as a higher standard of my character,” said DeChambeau in a 2014 interview.