A Stroke of Genius: MCC Eagles Record-Setting Golf Invitational

The Meridian Community College men’s golf team came into the Northeast Invitational at Shiloh Ridge Athletic Club as the underdogs. Mississippi Gulf Coast is notoriously a legend on the green, but on Tuesday, the MCC Eagles handed them their first MACCC tournament loss since 2022.

The two-day invitational, held Sept. 22-23, was a testament to the Eagles’ slow and steady approach, a strategy that clearly worked in their favor. After round one, the Eagles sat in second place at 5-under-par as a team, behind Jones College, who opened with 8-under. Ayers Mathis paced MCC with a 5-under round to place second individually, and sophomore Jace Duckworth went on to tie for fifth at 4-under.

Not to be outdone, Mississippi Gulf Coast played an excellent game, ending with an 18-under team score on day two. With that score, Mississippi Gulf Coast sat securely (or so they thought) at a 20-under total for the tournament and the lead. But the Eagles rose to the challenge, steadily closing the gap before surging ahead down the stretch. MCC finished 21-under-par as a team, edging Gulf Coast by a single stroke to claim the championship.

The 21-under team total set a new school record for Meridian. Head coach Lance Strickland credited the Eagles’ work ethic with their success, saying, “To beat a team like Gulf Coast and set a school record in the process says a lot about the work our guys have put in. I’m proud of every one of them.” 

Mathis was crowned tournament medalist after carding 11-under for the tournament, including a 6-under final round. Duckworth joined him on the All-Tournament Team with a fourth-place finish at 8-under, while sophomore Dax Reaux also cracked the top 10, tying for seventh at 4-under. “This was a huge win for our program,” Strickland praised.

The Eagles will next host the Jim Redgate Invitational (MACCC Event #3) on Oct. 6-7 at Briarwood Country Club in Meridian.

Author contributor Faith Ellington