Barron Wins 2018 USCAA Golf National Championship
Mighty Oaks golfer Sean Barron won the individual champion title at the 2018 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Golf National Championship at the Penn State Blue Golf Course.
Barron, a senior construction management major from Baldwinsville, New York, set a USCAA tournament record, finishing seven under par with a final score of 137 (68, 69). He edged the second-place finisher, Colton Kuppler from St. Mary of the Woods College, by one stroke. Barron, who finished third overall at the championship in 2017, was also named a USCAA All-American.
Early in the season, Barron had a few rough outings, finishing lower in the standings than he usually does. However before the start of the USCAA tournament, ESF Head Coach John Turbeville gave Barron some simple advice that helped propel him to success at the championship.
"Coach (Turbeville) commented to me that my swing looked a little different and that it needed to be more vertical. I made the adjustment and it totally changed everything. I went out the first day and shot a four under (par)," said Barron.
"The back nine on the second day was definitely the most difficult. I had a three-stroke lead and I birdied my first three holes and that was just enough to edge Colton by one stroke," he said.
Barron is only the second student-athlete in ESF history to win a USCAA National Championship.
"I am really proud of Sean and the whole the team. We set many individual and team records at this year's tournament. The play of this year's team leaves the squad motivated for the future" Turbeville said.
ESF finished in seventh place overall in the tournament that had 114 golfers from 19 schools participating.
The tournament was held at the Penn State Blue Golf Course in State College, Pennsylvania, Oct. 7 through 9.