The Wright State golfer carded a 3-under-par 69 to edge Raider teammate Cameron Willis by two shots at Piqua Country Club. Schoonmaker, a Springboro High School graduate, finished with a 72-hole total of 16-under-par 272 (68-67-68-69).
“It feels really good,” Schoonmaker said. “Obviously (repeating) was the goal starting the week. It was definitely stressful out there today but I got it done.”
Schoonmaker erased Willis’ two-shot lead entering the final round with a 4-under 32 on the front nine to grab a one-shot advantage. He quickly built the lead to three shots with a birdie on No. 10 and a Willis bogey. But a two-shot swing the other way -- a Willis birdie and Schoonmaker bogey -- on the 15th left the final pairing tied with three holes to play.
Schoonmaker made birdie on the 16th to grab the lead back. Both players made bogey on the par-3 17th. Schoonmaker made a 5-footer for par on No. 18 to clinch the victory. Willis, an Eaton High School grad, made bogey on the final hole and carded a final-round 73.
“I drove it really, really well the first three rounds and my wedge game was really solid,” said Schoonmaker, who won last year’s tournament at Dayton Country Club. “I didn’t drive it as well today but putted great.”
It was a great day and tournament for Wright State. In addition to Schoonmaker and Willis, a grad transfer from Wittenberg, the Raiders’ Cole Corder finished third (11 under), Mikkel Mathiesen fifth (8 under) and Davis Root and Tyler Goecke tied for sixth (6 under). WSU coach Brian Arlinghaus finished tied for 10th at even par.
Congratulations to @schoon_austin on successfully defending his @MiamiValleyGolf #MVGAMetro title with some incredible play over the course of 4 days.
— Wright State Golf (@WrightStateGolf) July 26, 2020
Raiders occupied 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, & 6th places and had a four day 9 man team total of 34 under par. #FullRaid pic.twitter.com/6i2aiJTBck
The Raiders’ spring season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ll see what happens as far as tournaments go for the fall and spring,” said Schoonmaker, who received another year of eligibility due to the shortened spring season and will start work on his master’s degree. “ ... We’re looking forward to the season.”
Bellbrook’s Alyssa Burritt won her fourth women’s Metropolitan Championship with a 54-hole total of 1-over-par. Burritt, who plays collegiately at the University of Cincinnati, won by 20 shots.
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