Down four strokes entering the final round of The Railer, The Kansas Men’s Amateur Stroke Play Championships, Andrew Beckler of Topeka was able to charge back under difficult conditions to claim a three-stroke victory Sunday at Sand Creek Station.
Beckler shot a 75 in his final round for a one-under par 215 total.
Beckler was the sole competitor to finish under par.
"I just kept it in play," Beckler said. "That was the key today. I just had to stay patient. Everybody was going to struggle out there. I knew I was going to make some bogeys. I just had to keep it in play."
The leader after the first two rounds — Pete Krsnich of Wichita — shot an 82 in his final round to finish at 218, tied with Cooper Schultz of Wichita and Nick Kagy of Overland Park. Joseph Lemieux of Newalla, Okla., and Brock Polhill of Edmond, Okla., each tied for fifth at 219.
There were 111 competitors in the open division.
The tournament featured high winds in all three rounds. Winds in Sunday’s play topped 30 mph.
"I grew up playing in the wind," Beckler said. "I grew up playing here. I went to K-State and played at Colbert Hills. It’s always windy at Colbert Hills and that’s an advantage. I had the right mindset coming in. I knew it was going to be windy and it was going to be tough."
Beckler was a co-champion last year in a weather-shortened tournament.
Beckler will be a sixth-year senior at Washburn University, granted a hardship year of eligibility because of the season shortened by COVID-19. He was a 2013 Class 6A individual state champion from Washburn Rural High School.
He was a Big 12 medalist as a freshman. He was an All-Mid-America Athletic Association selection as a junior. He led the team with a 71.88 stroke average as a senior, before the season was canceled.
He’s had few competitive rounds since March.
"It’s different," Beckler said. "I’ve stayed pretty competitive in practice with myself and my friends. It’s different coming in here and making a putt that matters to win a tournament."
His next major competition will be the Kansas Amateur, set for July 21 to 26 at Colbert Hills.
"You just have to be confident in your game," Beckler said. "You have to trust yourself and trust your swing."
In the senior division, Tim McKinnis of Lyons shot the low round of the day at 72, moving into a tie for the lead with Sean Thayer of Garden City at 219. McKinnis won the first playoff hole.
It was the first title for McKinnis.
Two-time champion Tracy Chamberlin of Wichita was one stroke back at 220. Two-time champion Steve Newman of Wichita and 2018 champ Don Kuehn of Kansas City, Mo., tied for fourth at 224.
The Railer
Kansas Men’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship
Sand Creek Station
Newton
Par 72
Open Division
1. Beckler, Andrew, Topeka 71-69-75—215
T2. Schultz, Cooper, Wichita 73-72-73—218
T2. Kagy, Nick, Overland Park 70-72-76—218
T2. Krsnich, Pete, Wichita 66-70-82—218
T5. Lemieux, Joseph, Newalla, Okla. 73-73-73—219
T5. Polhill, Brock, Edmond, Okla. 71-74-74—219
7. Mason, Nicklaus, Shawnee 68-73-79—220
T8. Sokolosky, Zach, Wichita 77-72-76—225
T8. Bell, Jeff, Wichita 73-69-83—225
T10. Soyez, Elliot, Wichita 77-72-77—226
T10. Strathe, Jared, Owasso, Okla. 75-73-78—226
T12. Allen, Garret, Overland Park 74-78-75—227
T12. Fehr, Brian, Manhattan 77-73-77—227
T12. Harding, Will, Prairie Village 80-73-74—227
T15. Helin, Jared, Manhattan 71-80-77—228
T15. Scheve, Gentry, Emporia 76-72-80—228
T15. Bay, Jake, Shattuck, Okla. 74-73-81—228
T15. Audrain, Sion, Garden City 73-74-81—228
T15. Bender, Ryan, Overland Park 74-72-82—228
T15. Percy, Matt, Ottawa 75-77-76—228
T15. Specht, Trenton, Garden City 72-71-85—228
T22. Sparks, Hunter, Oklahoma City 75-76-78—229
T22. Saffell, Blake, Wellington 73-72-84—229
T22. Courington, Jack, Wichita 72-72-85—229
T22. Glenn, Jack, Stillwater, Okla. 77-75-77—229
T22. Gardner, John, Overland Park 78-74-77—229
T27. Kimmel, Caleb, Olathe 82-74-74—230
T27. Likes, Jackson, Olathe 83-71-76—230
T27. Wilson, Connor, Edmond, Okla. 74-71-85—230
T30. Wallace, Grayson, Guymon, Okla. 72-78-81—231
T30. Lane, Bradley, Lawrence 78-74-79—231
T32. Kasitz, Kyle, Wichita 75-76-81—232
T32. Simons, Tony, Overland Park 79-78-75—232
T32. Lazzo, Matt, Wichita 74-75-83—232
T35. Winslow, Michael, Overland Park 73-77-83—233
T35. Frazzini, Ben, Medina 81-75-77—233
T35. Heinen, Alec, Wichita 72-74-87—233
T35. Fox, Landon, Winfield 76-77-80—233
T35. Powers, Said, Edmond, Okla. 79-73-81—233
T40. Herrenbruck, Grant, Salina 73-78-83—234
T40. Holtzman, Noah, Wichita 73-82-79—234
T40. Bobert, Jordan, Moundridge 74-78-82—234
T43. Lee, Jack, Overland Park 76-76-83—235
T43. Hill, James, Andover 75-76-84—235
T43. Shaw, Kameron, Salina 76-74-85—235
T43. Scheufler, Lucas, Wellington 81-74-80—235
T47. Frederickson, Giles, Overbrook 78-82-76—236
T47. Rose, Parker, Stigler, Okla. 74-83-79—236
T47. Ulrich, Park, Overland Park 76-80-80—236
T50. Vautravers, Randall, Andover 81-79-77—237
T50. King, Andrew, Junction City 73-81-83—237
52. Gilliland, Caleb, Salina 78-79-81—238
T53. Baker, Jack, Wichita 79-80-80—239
T53. Heusel, Zane, Edmond, Okla. 75-84-80—239
T53. Brenneman, Grant, Hesston 76-81-82—239
T53. Austin, Peyton, Derby 74-82-83—239
T53. Gritton, Cole, Manhattan 77-79-83—239
T58. Smith, Davan, Dodge City 83-76-81—240
T58. Williams, Josh, Lawrence 76-73-91—240
T60. Rader, Jackson, Marysville 78-79-84—241
T60. Durst, Logan, Garden City 80-75-86—241
62. Trebilcock, Ian, Wichita 76-81-85—242
T63. Graf, Jonathan, Wichita 75-87-81—243
T63. Reintjes, Brent, Wichita 81-87-75—243
T63. Beaubien, Chris, Kansas City, Mo. 87-80-76—243
T63. Frazzini, Bobby, Medina, Minn. 71-83-89—243
T67. Kasitz, Adam, Wichita 78-80-86—244
T67. Trudo, Tyler, Wichita 73-83-88—244
T69. Goodrum, Austin, Andover 84-81-80—245
T69. Gillund, Austin, Clinton, Mo. 78-83-84—245
T69. Schmid, Caleb, Emporia 80-80-85—245
T69. Adkins, Ty, Hutchinson 74-85-86—245
T73. Gihring, Travis, Newton 81-82-83—246
T73. Vanlandingham, Caden, Wichita 79-82-85—246
T73. McCrae, Tradgon, Plainville 79-80-87—246
T73. Stone, Trey, Pleasant Hill, Mo. 82-85-79—246
T77. Neal, Patrick, Olathe 76-89-82—247
T77. Unruh, Colby, Overland Park 88-74-85—247
T77. Beck, Hayden, Topeka 81-80-86—247
T77. Radley, Stephen, Wichita 83-78-86—247
T77. Gibson, Zach, Andover 79-81-87—247
T82. Zinn, Otto, Mission Hills 78-84-86—248
T82. Sawyer, Drake, Wichita 82-80-86—248
T82. Bessenbacher, Michael, Overland Park 80-87-81—248
T82. Dillon, Calvin, Louisburg 83-76-89—248
T82. Hanrahan, Connor, Overland Park 80-85-83—248
T87. Eickman, Joe, Wichita 81-80-88—249
T87. Langstraat, Joey, Basehor 81-84-84—249
89. Prentice, Kade, Overland Park 83-78-89—250
90. Norris, Josh, Hays 78-88-85—251
91. Ward, Cooper, Wichita 79-79-94—252
92. Porter, Blake, Topeka 81-84-89—254
93. Ruckman, Case, Albany, Mo. 82-93-80—255
94. Jenkins, Mike, Lake Lotawana, Mo. 83-82-91—256
T95. Schurle, Cody, Manhattan 88-90-79—257
T95. Streck, Cole, Great Bend 84-85-88—257
T95. Saporito, Nate, Stilwell 87-80-90—257
98. Krannawitter, Jason, Hays 91-85-82—258
99. Schrock, Jr., Matthew, Wichita 91-85-83—259
100. Mowry, Matthew, Cimarron 85-85-91—261
101. Eickman, David, Kansas City, Mo. 89-81-92—262
T102. Pauls, Tanner, Newton 83-89-92—264
T102. Hedges, Will, Lawrence 83-88-93—264
104. Jenkins, Kobe, Leawood 82-89-95—266
105. Sinks, Michael, Overland Park 84-90-93—267
106. Powell, Wyatt, Basehor 95-85-89—269
107. Piles, Mac, Topela 92-86-92—270
108. Day, Dustin, Manhattan 93-92-94—279
109. Snowden, Grant, Manhattan 95-91-104—290
WD. Gantz, William, Perry 81-WD-injury
WD. Laughlin, Hunter, Mangum, Okla. WD
NS. Reinke, Nick, Wichita NS-93-NS—NS
Senior Division
x-won playoff
1. McKinnis, Tim, Lyons 74-73-72—219-x
2. Thayer, Sean, Garden City 75-71-73—219
3. Chamberlin, Tracy, Wichita 73-73-74—220
T4. Newman, Steve, Wichita 69-77-78—224
T4. Kuehn, Don City, Mo. 74-73-77—224
T6. Holloway, Michael, Wichita 72-76-77—225
T6. Goode, Greg, Salina 73-77-75—225
T6. Jolliffe, Mark, Wichita 70-75-80—225
9. Holden, Darrel, Shawnee 74-77-80—231
10. Kaup, Doug, Phillipsburg 77-81-74—232
T11. Casamento, Michael, Andover 77-77-79—233
T11. Vautravers, Randy, Andover 75-77-81—233
T13. Richey, Scott City, Missouri 74-74-86—234
T13. Bezek, Bob, Ottawa 74-80-80—234
T15. Neal, Darrin, Olathe 75-82-78—235
T15. Randall, Steve, Lawrence 81-79-75—235
17. Nielsen, Tom, Edmond, Okla. 81-80-75—236
18. Hermann, Mike, Wichita 76-83-78—237
19. Hartmann, Bob, Andover 74-80-86—240
T20. Bailey, John, Nashville 81-83-79—243
T20. Bahner, Brent, Wichita 78-80-85—243
22. Bowden, Gene, Wichita 83-79-88—250
T23. Rumler, Bret, Lyons 86-86-79—251
T23. Gates, James, Lake Winnebago, Mo. 82-82-87—251
T23. Linville, Dale, Mulvane 86-82-83—251
T23. Gibson, Michael, Andover 90-79-82—251
T27. Foreman, Patrick, La Cygne 85-82-85—252
T27. Bonewell, Todd, Mulvane 87-83-82—252
29. Porter, Barry, Belleville 77-86-94—257
30. Corning, Curtis, Valley Center 88-84-87—259
WD. Swanson, Brad, Winfield WD-96--WD—WD