Four strokes behind at the turn, Nathan Utley produced the best closing nine of the tournament and defeated Lucas Rogers by one stroke.

Nathan Utley’s path to the 2025 Midwest Masters title began not with command, but with patience.

Four strokes off the lead after nine holes, Utley found another gear on the inward half, closing in 37 to post an 8-over-par 80 and capture the championship by a single stroke over Lucas Rogers.

The tournament remained undecided until the final hole.

Utley and Rogers began the day together on the leaderboard, matching one another with opening-nine scores of 43. They remained tied through the 12th before Utley moved one stroke ahead with a 3 at No. 13. Rogers answered one hole later, and the two continued trading the advantage throughout the closing stretch.

Utley regained the lead at the 15th, but Rogers erased the deficit with a 3 at No. 17. That sent the pair to the final tee tied at 77.

There, Utley delivered the decisive response. His closing 3 completed the lowest back nine of the tournament and gave him a one-stroke victory when Rogers finished with a 4. It clinched the sixth Green Jacket for Utley in his seven appearances.

Utley’s round included two birdies, eight pars, six bogeys and two double bogeys. More importantly, he limited the damage when the championship was on the line. After turning in 43, he required only 37 strokes to complete the final nine holes.

Rogers finished alone in second at 9-over 81 after rounds of 43 and 38. His scorecard was an exercise in consistency, consisting of nine pars and nine bogeys without a double bogey or worse. He stayed within one stroke of Utley throughout the back nine and drew even on the penultimate hole before falling just short.

For much of the opening nine, however, the tournament belonged to Mitch Lear.

Lear reached the turn in 39, the lowest opening-nine score in the field, and held a one-stroke advantage over Carter McCue. But the course became more demanding on the way home. Lear followed with a 44 to finish third at 11-over 83, three strokes behind Utley.

McCue also remained in contention after turning in 40. He recorded one birdie and nine pars during his round, but a pair of double bogeys and one triple bogey or worse contributed to a closing 44. His 12-over 84 secured fourth place.

Wyatt Mosson shared the same outward-nine score as the eventual champion and runner-up, making the turn in 43. He finished fifth at 17-over 89, five strokes clear of Rex Utley, who placed sixth with a 91.

Jonah Laws recorded matching nines of 46 to finish seventh at 20-over 92. Brayden Cowling followed in eighth at 93, while Kevin Schuh and Tanner Watkins shared ninth place at 26-over 98. Jordan Cox completed the standings with a 29-over 101.

In the end, the difference was the final nine holes—and ultimately the final hole.

Utley began the back nine four strokes behind the leader. Nine holes later, after the tournament’s finest closing stretch and one last winning 3, the 2025 Midwest Masters belonged to him.

Carter McCue led through much of the opening nine and remained within reach of Lucas Rogers until the finish, placing second for the second consecutive year.

For the second year in a row, Carter McCue completed the Midwest Masters with only one name above his on the leaderboard.

The route to that familiar position, however, was entirely different.

A year after chasing Nathan Utley to the finish, McCue established the early pace at the 2024 Midwest Masters. He held at least a share of the lead after seven of the opening nine holes and entered the back nine tied at the top.

Lucas Rogers ultimately produced the decisive closing stretch, but McCue remained close enough to keep the outcome unsettled. His 14-over-par 86 secured second place, three strokes behind Rogers and two clear of Jonah Laws and Nathan Utley.

It was McCue’s second consecutive runner-up finish following his four-stroke defeat to Utley in 2023.

His bid to take the next step began with one of the steadiest starts in the field.

McCue opened with consecutive 5s before recording a 3 at the third. That placed him alone atop the leaderboard, one stroke ahead of Laws and three clear of Rogers.

Another solid score at the fourth preserved the advantage. McCue then shared the lead with Laws through the fifth and sixth holes as the pair separated themselves from the rest of the field.

McCue encountered his first significant trouble at the seventh, where a 7 allowed Laws to move one stroke ahead. The margin remained the same through the eighth, but McCue responded at the ninth. His 5, combined with a 6 from Laws, brought the two back together.

Both reached the turn in 42.

Rogers followed only two strokes behind after an outward 44, placing three players within striking distance as the tournament moved to the inward nine.

Laws briefly regained sole possession of the lead at the 10th. McCue made 6 while Laws recorded a 5, but Rogers continued moving forward with a 4. That left Laws at 47, with McCue and Rogers tied one stroke behind.

The positions remained unchanged after the 11th.

Then came the hole that altered the direction of the tournament.

At the 12th, Rogers made 5 while McCue recorded 6 and Laws made 7. Rogers moved from one stroke behind to one ahead, taking sole possession of the lead for the first time.

McCue was still within immediate reach, but Rogers followed with a 3 at the 13th. McCue’s 4 increased the difference to two.

The largest separation came one hole later. Rogers posted a 4 at the 14th while McCue made 6, stretching the advantage to four strokes with four holes remaining.

McCue did not let the tournament get away without a response.

He gained one stroke at the 15th, making 5 as Rogers recorded 6. The margin was back to three, and McCue had succeeded in keeping himself within range entering the final three holes.

Both players then finished 5-4-4.

McCue never gave another stroke away, but Rogers never provided the opening needed to close the remaining gap. Each completed the final three holes in 13 strokes, allowing Rogers to preserve his three-shot advantage through the final green.

McCue’s closing 44 gave him a total of 86. Rogers’ inward 39—the lowest back nine in the tournament—completed the winning 83.

Although McCue did not record a birdie, his scorecard reflected the consistency that kept him in contention throughout the day. He made seven pars and eight bogeys while avoiding a triple bogey or worse. Only McCue and Rogers completed the tournament without such a score.

His play on the par-4 holes was particularly effective. McCue performed 8.08 strokes better than the field average on those holes, second only to Rogers’ tournament-leading mark of 9.08.

More importantly, McCue converted his early position into a secure runner-up result. Laws and Utley each finished at 88, two strokes behind him, while no other player ended within six.

The finish continued a two-year stretch in which McCue had come repeatedly close to the Green Jacket.

In 2023, he posted an 84 and finished four strokes behind Utley. In 2024, he returned with an 86 and reduced the margin to three behind Rogers. Across those two tournaments, McCue completed 36 holes only seven combined strokes behind the champions.

Both times, his performance would have been enough to win several other editions of the tournament.

Both times, someone produced a better round.

The 2024 result therefore brought another near miss, but it also reinforced McCue’s place among the Midwest Masters’ leading contenders. He had now challenged from two different positions—first as the pursuer and then as the early leader—and finished second each time.

For much of the 2024 tournament, the Green Jacket remained within his reach.

Rogers ultimately claimed it with the strongest back nine in the field, leaving McCue to accept a familiar result: another impressive performance, another place near the top and a second consecutive runner-up finish.

Two strokes behind at the turn, Lucas Rogers took the lead at the 12th and closed with the lowest inward nine of the tournament to win by three.

Lucas Rogers did not need a dramatic finishing birdie to win the 2024 Midwest Masters.

He needed patience, consistency and a back nine no one else in the field could match.

Rogers began the inward half two strokes behind co-leaders Carter McCue and Jonah Laws, but erased the deficit within three holes. A closing nine of 39 carried him to an 11-over-par 83 and a three-stroke victory over McCue.

It was a measured performance rather than an explosive one. Rogers did not record a birdie, but he made nine pars and avoided a triple bogey or worse. As the contenders around him encountered trouble, he steadily worked his way to the top of the leaderboard.

McCue and Laws had set the early pace.

McCue moved ahead with a 3 at the third and maintained at least a share of the lead through much of the opening nine. Laws stayed alongside him, briefly taking sole possession after the seventh before McCue drew even again at the turn.

Both completed the outward nine in 42. Rogers followed at 44, with Nathan Utley another stroke behind after a 45.

The championship began to turn after the break.

Laws emerged from the four-way contest with the outright lead at the 10th and remained one stroke ahead through the 11th. Rogers then made his move at No. 12, recording a 5 while Laws made 7 and McCue made 6.

In one hole, Rogers went from one behind to one ahead.

He strengthened his position immediately with a 3 at the 13th. Rogers left the hole two strokes clear of McCue, Laws and Nathan Utley, each of whom stood at 62.

From there, no one drew level again.

Rogers followed with a 4 at the 14th to extend his advantage to three. The margin narrowed to two after the 15th, but he answered with three controlled closing holes, completing the final four in 19 strokes.

His 39 on the inward nine was three strokes better than any other back-nine score in the field.

The par-4 holes proved especially decisive. Rogers performed 9.08 strokes better than the field average on the par 4s, the strongest mark in the tournament. He also finished better than the field average across both the par-3 and par-5 holes.

Behind him, the competition for second remained unsettled until the final green.

Laws stayed closest to Rogers for most of the closing stretch and arrived at the 18th two strokes behind. A 7 on the final hole, however, dropped him into a tie for third at 16-over 88.

McCue closed with consecutive 4s to secure second place at 14-over 86. His round contained seven pars and no score worse than double bogey, but a 44 on the back nine prevented him from matching Rogers’ charge.

Nathan Utley joined Laws in third. Utley recorded one of only five birdies made by the entire field, but three double bogeys and one triple bogey or worse left him five strokes behind the champion.

Rex Utley also produced a strong finish. After turning in 50, he played the back nine in 42—the second-lowest inward score of the day—to climb into fifth at 20-over 92. Wyatt Mosson placed sixth with a 94.

Mitch Lear finished seventh at 100, two strokes ahead of Tanner Watkins in eighth. Brayden Cowling followed in ninth at 103, highlighted by a 3 at the 17th.

Kevin Schuh placed 10th at 109, while Doug Findley and Jordan Cox shared 11th at 39-over 111.

But the defining stretch belonged to Rogers.

He trailed two players at the turn and remained behind with seven holes to play. Once he moved ahead, he gave the field no opening to respond.

A tournament that had been tightly contested throughout the opening nine ended with Rogers three strokes clear—and in possession of the 2024 Midwest Masters title.

The 2024 Midwest Masters Tournament will be held on August 24th as the competition moves into it’s sixth year.

Saturday’s tee times will range from 2:40 to 3:00 p.m., returning to a standard three-group arrangement in 2024. In total there are 12 players scheduled to compete at this year’s Midwest Masters.

For the first time, our defending champion will be off the tee in the opening group at the Masters. Official scorer and five-time winner Nathan Utley will tee things off at 2:40 p.m., with his father Rex Utley playing alongside Brayden Cowling and Mitch Lear.

The second grouping, teeing off at 2:50 p.m., includes Board of Governor Tanner Watkins of Indianapolis, Indiana. Rounding out the group will be last year’s runner-up Carter McCue, plus former honorary scorer Wyatt Mosson and West Salem’s Kevin Schuh.

Our final grouping of the day will see players tee off at 3:00 p.m., led by Board of Governor Jonah Laws in his fifth Masters. Doug Findley will make his second start in the Tournament, while Lucas Rogers makes start number three alongside Jordan Cox’s fourth appearance.

Headlines and Trends

Scoring Trends: The 147-yard Par Three third hole has the lowest field average score relative to par (3.98) while the 506-yard Par Five second hole has the highest (7.21). Four holes set field Tournament lows in 2023.

Strong Field: This is the second time that the Masters has had 12 competitors in the field – matching the 2022 total.

Five-Time: Nathan Utley enters the 2024 Tournament after winning the first five editions of the Masters. Last year’s event saw the closest margin of victory at four strokes – the second consecutive year that the margin of victory has shrunk.

Shaking Off the Aches: Heading into this year’s Tournament, defending champion Utley will be battling back from a wrist injury sustained in early August while fellow Board of Governor Tanner Watkins will be nursing a back injured in July.

Veterans Aplenty: For the first time in Midwest Masters history, there will be no players making their debut in 2024. In each of the first five editions we had at least one first-timer on the course.

Southpaws: There are two left-handed players in this year’s field: Jordan Cox of Olney, Illinois and Brayden Cowling of Irving, Texas.

Ironmen: Five players have started every Midwest Masters thus far: Jonah Laws, Mitch Lear, Wyatt Mosson, Nathan Utley and Tanner Watkins.

Five-For-Five: Only Mitch Lear and Nathan Utley have finished in the top five in each of the Tournament’s first four events.

Family Ties: The father-son combination of Rex and Nathan Utley will make their fifth all-time start together.

Birdie Hunt: There have not been scores under par recorded at the following holes at the Midwest Masters: Hole’s No. 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Notably, Hole 16 is a par five.

Breakthrough on No. 2: Last year saw the first two birdies on the card at the Par Five second hole – the first three years had only seen one par in recorded Masters history. Nathan Utley and Carter McCue recorded birdies while three players notched pars. Seven players scored double bogey or worse.

80 – The New 90: In the first three editions of the Midwest Masters Tournament from 2019 to 2021, Nathan Utley was the only player to shoot under 90. In the last two Tournaments, each time we have seen a trio of players shoot in the 80s – last year it was Nathan Utley (80), McCue (84) and Rogers (89). No player has shot in the 70s in the five years at the Masters.

Domination: Five-time champion Nathan Utley has never trailed in the Midwest Masters after the second hole. Last year, Utley was tied with McCue after three holes before opening up a lead he would not relinquish for the rest of the day.

100 is the Number: Last year’s Midwest Masters field had an average score of 100.31 – up slightly from the field average from 2022. While challenging course conditions saw four holes have their highest average score in a Tournament, 2023 marked the first year that no holes on the course had an average score of seven or higher.

About Cambridge: Cambridge Golf Course, home of the Midwest Masters, measures at an 18-hole distance of 6,227 yards for the Tournament and has a par of 72. The first nine distance totals 3,109 yards while the second nine distance amounts to 3,118 yards.

Yardages, Vol II: Three holes (No.’s 2, 7 and 16) total 500 yards or more while three holes (No.’s 3, 5 and 13) measure at less than 155 yards.

There’s something special about August in the Midwest.

No, it isn’t the heat and humidity, county fairs or the dog days of baseball’s summer calendar.

It’s a gathering of close friends – some who only meet once a year – to play a game which has cultivated friendship for centuries.

The laughs, the cigars, the beers, and of course, the competition.

Now entering its sixth trip around the sun, the Midwest Masters is more than a day on the course. Harkening back to its roots in Eastern Georgia, this northern version of golf’s most revered major carries the mystique of the old Augusta National Invitational Tournament.

Waking up on Masters Saturday brings the same joy as a kid on Christmas morning – instead of the eagerness to unwrap presents, it’s anticipation on the range pre-round, excitement for that first tee shot, and the bounce in your step knowing that you’re here at Cambridge for another year of memories.

In 2024, 12 competitors will set their sights on the Green Jacket. It’s been elusive for the field with the exception of one – though each year, the margins get a bit thinner.

So what will this Saturday bring? The script is a blank slate, a story waiting to be told.

In just three short days, we will roll down Old Indiana Road with Dave Loggins’ “Augusta” playing through the speakers, signaling that we are home again for another edition of the Midwest Masters.

Nathan Utley took the lead at the fourth hole, opened a four-stroke advantage by the turn and never allowed the field closer than three on the back nine.

Nathan Utley did not wait until the closing holes to take command of the 2023 Midwest Masters.

He seized the lead during the opening stretch and spent the remainder of the round protecting it.

Utley posted an 8-over-par 80 to defeat Carter McCue by four strokes, combining two early birdies with steady play throughout the back nine to secure the championship.

The decisive separation began almost immediately.

After opening with a bogey, Utley made a birdie at the par-5 second. He drew level with McCue through three holes and moved three strokes ahead when McCue encountered trouble at the fourth.

Utley never relinquished the lead.

Pars at Nos. 4 and 5 kept him in front before a second birdie at the par-5 seventh widened the advantage. He reached the eighth tee five strokes clear of his nearest challengers.

A double bogey at the ninth provided the field with an opportunity, but the damage was limited. Utley completed the outward nine in 38, four strokes ahead of Mitch Lear and Jonah Laws, who turned in 42. McCue followed at 43.

That opening 38 proved to be the lowest nine-hole score of the tournament.

The pursuit tightened slightly after the turn. McCue, who had fallen five behind at the halfway point, began steadily reducing the deficit. He played the 10th and 11th in one over before making birdie at the par-5 12th.

With six holes remaining, McCue had moved within three.

Utley answered without needing another birdie. He made par at the 12th and 13th, followed by consecutive bogeys at Nos. 14 and 15. Even as McCue continued applying pressure, Utley’s lead remained intact.

McCue again closed to within three after the 16th and matched Utley’s par at the 17th. The championship therefore went to the final hole with Utley still holding a three-stroke advantage.

Utley finished with a bogey 5. McCue made 6, restoring the final margin to four.

The champion’s 42 on the back nine was not the lowest inward score of the day—McCue closed in 41—but it was enough to complete a steadfast performance after Utley had taken sole possession of the lead at the fourth.

His scorecard included two birdies, eight pars, six bogeys and two double bogeys. He was also the only player in the field to finish better than eight strokes above the field average on both the par-3 and par-4 holes.

McCue’s runner-up finish came despite a difficult opening stretch. After making birdie at the second, he recorded a triple bogey at the fourth and later made three double bogeys. His second birdie, at No. 12, helped produce the lowest back nine of the tournament and an eventual 12-over 84.

Lucas Rogers finished alone in third at 17-over 89. Rogers did not make a birdie, but he avoided a triple bogey or worse and recorded 13 bogeys, three pars and two double bogeys during a consistent round of 44 and 45.

Lear and Laws were Utley’s closest challengers at the turn, but neither could sustain the pursuit.

Lear began the back nine four strokes behind before a 48 dropped him to fourth at 18-over 90. Wyatt Mosson followed one stroke behind in fifth, producing the tournament’s most dramatic single-hole result with an eagle 2 at the par-4 eighth.

The eagle helped Mosson turn in 44, but trouble on the inward nine—including an 8 at the par-5 16th—left him at 19-over 91.

Laws finished sixth with a 92 after following his opening 42 with a 50. Rex Utley placed seventh at 97, while Kevin Schuh finished eighth with a 100. Schuh’s round included the field’s only birdie outside the top five, a 3 at the eighth.

Tanner Watkins improved by six strokes on the back nine, closing in 50 to finish ninth at 106. Brayden Cowling placed 10th at 110, one stroke ahead of Doug Findley. Ryan Lear and Jordan Cox completed the standings.

For most of the day, however, the tournament unfolded on Utley’s terms.

He took the lead before the field had completed four holes, built the advantage to five and responded each time McCue attempted to close the gap.

By the final green, Utley had completed an 80—and secured the 2023 Midwest Masters championship by four strokes. It is the fifth consecutive victory for the second-generation player in the Edwards County Golf Club’s landmark event.

The 2023 Midwest Masters Tournament will be held on August 26th, the fifth edition of the revered competition.

Saturday’s tee times will range from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m., featuring the first four-group arrangement in the Tournament’s history. A record 13 players are expected to compete in this year’s Masters.

Leading the way in the initial grouping at 2:00 p.m. will be Midwest Masters official scorer Wyatt Mosson competing in his fifth Tournament. Joining Mosson will be Ryan Lear of Sumner, Illinois, making his fourth start, and Kevin Schuh of Mt. Carmel, Illinois in his third appearance.

The second grouping, teeing off at 2:10 p.m., includes Board of Governor Tanner Watkins of Indianapolis, Indiana. Rounding out the group will be first-timer Carter McCue of Spring Hill, Tennessee, as well as Brayden Cowling, joining in the competition as one of two players traveling from Irving, Texas to play.

This year’s lone four-player grouping will begin at 2:20 p.m., led by Board of Governor Jonah Laws in his fifth Masters. Doug Findley will make his first start in the Tournament, in addition to Lucas Rogers’ second career Masters appearance.

Our final grouping of the day will see players tee off at 2:30 p.m. Four-time champion and Board of Governor Nathan Utley will take aim at a fifth straight Green Jacket bid, playing alongside his father, Rex, in his fourth Masters appearance. Five-time starter and last year’s runner-up Mitch Lear will join the Utley’s to round out the field of competitors.

Headlines and Trends

• Growing Field: There are a record 13 players on this year’s Midwest Masters tee sheet. The previous record was 12, set at the 2022 Tournament.
• By Any Means Necessary: A pair of players will be challenged further than the normal difficulty that Cambridge Golf Course provides. Jordan Cox will be playing through a rehab process stemming from last month’s appendectomy, while Mitch Lear will be joining us after flying into Evansville on Tournament morning from an out-of-state trip.
• Four-Time: Nathan Utley enters the 2023 Tournament after winning the first four editions of the Masters. Last year’s event saw the closest margin of victory at six strokes.
• First Time: Two first-time players are making their debut in this year’s Midwest Masters: Doug Findley of Marshall, Illinois and Carter McCue of Spring Hill, Tennessee.
• Southpaws: There are two left-handed players in this year’s field: Jordan Cox of Olney, Illinois and Brayden Cowling of Irving, Texas.
• Ironmen: Five players have started every Midwest Masters thus far: Jonah Laws, Mitch Lear, Wyatt Mosson, Nathan Utley and Tanner Watkins.
• Four-For-Five: Only Mitch Lear and Nathan Utley have finished in the top five in each of the Tournament’s first four events.
• Family Ties: The father-son combination of Rex and Nathan Utley will make their fourth all-time start together.
• Birdie Hunt: There have not been scores under par recorded at the following holes at the Midwest Masters: Hole’s No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Notably, Holes No. 2 and 16 are Par Fives.
• 80 – The New 90: In the first three editions of the Midwest Masters Tournament from 2019 to 2021, Nathan Utley was the only player to shoot under 90. In last year’s Tournament, three players shot in the 80s: Utley (82), Mitch Lear (88) and debutant Lucas Rogers (89).
• Domination: Four-time champion Nathan Utley has never trailed in the Midwest Masters after the second hole. Last year the Irving, Texas player won wire-to-wire for the first time.
• Raising the Bar: Last year’s Midwest Masters field set the record for most birdies, pars and bogeys in the Tournament. The 2022 field average was also lowest in Midwest Masters history at 98.25 – under 100 for the first time.
• About Cambridge: Cambridge Golf Course, home of the Midwest Masters, measures at an 18-hole distance of 6,227 yards for the Tournament and has a par of 72. The first nine distance totals 3,109 yards while the second nine distance amounts to 3,118 yards.
• Yardages, Vol II: Three holes (No.’s 2, 7 and 16) total 500 yards or more while three holes (No.’s 3, 5 and 13) measure at less than 155 yards.
• Scoring Trends: The 147-yard Par Three third hole has the lowest field average score relative to par (3.50) while the 506-yard Par Five second hole has the highest (7.58). Nine holes set field Tournament lows in 2022.

For the first time, the Edwards County Golf Club has created an information guide dedicated to the history of the Midwest Masters Tournament. The 102-page guide features detailed accounts of the Tournament’s key moments, an overview of Cambridge Golf Course, biographies for Invitees, and much more.

We hope you enjoy browsing this year’s guide as we prepare for the fifth annual Midwest Masters Tournament on Saturday, August 26th.

Nathan Utley recorded the lowest score on both nines, turning an early advantage into a six-stroke victory over Mitch Lear.

Nathan Utley established control early at the 2022 Midwest Masters—and never surrendered it.

Utley posted matching nines of 41 for a 10-over-par 82, defeating Mitch Lear by six strokes and completing a round in which he held at least a share of the lead after every hole.

His advantage was built on consistency. Utley was the only player in the field to complete either nine in fewer than 43 strokes, and his two 41s gave him the best score on both sides of the course.

The tournament began with Utley, Lucas Rogers and Kevin Schuh sharing the lead after opening pars. Utley then separated himself at the second, making another par while Rogers and Schuh encountered difficulty.

By the time the field left the third green, Utley had opened a two-stroke advantage over Rogers. He remained two clear through the sixth, having started his round with three pars followed by three consecutive bogeys.

The first major turning point came at the par-5 seventh.

Utley produced his only birdie of the round, recording a 4 to extend his lead over Rogers from two strokes to three. Trouble for the challengers at the eighth then widened the separation considerably.

Utley made bogey at No. 8, but Rogers recorded an 8 and Mitch Lear made 6. Utley walked to the ninth tee six strokes ahead of both players.

His only double bogey of the day came at the ninth, allowing Lear to reduce the deficit with a par. Even so, Utley reached the turn in 41 with a four-stroke advantage.

Lear was his nearest challenger after an opening 45. Rogers and Jonah Laws followed at 46, with Noah Thompson and Nyk Lear another stroke behind.

The back nine began much as the front had ended—with Utley controlling the pace.

A par at the 10th increased his lead over Lear to five. Matching bogeys at Nos. 11 and 12 kept the margin unchanged before Utley added another par at the par-3 13th.

Lear’s bogey there pushed the advantage to six.

Utley followed with a par at the 14th as Lear made another bogey, stretching the lead to seven with four holes remaining. At that point, the championship had become less about whether anyone could catch Utley and more about whether he would offer the field an opening.

He never did.

Lear briefly reduced the margin with a par at the 15th, but Utley responded with a par of his own at the par-5 16th. The lead returned to seven and remained there through the 17th.

A closing bogey gave Utley an inward 41. Lear finished with a par to trim the final margin to six, but the outcome had long since been settled.

Utley’s scorecard included one birdie, seven pars, nine bogeys and only one double bogey. He avoided a triple bogey or worse and was the only player to finish the tournament without multiple scores of double bogey or higher.

Lear earned runner-up honors at 16-over 88. After falling six behind through eight holes, he played the final 10 in 47 strokes and closed with consecutive pars. His back-nine 43 tied Rogers for the second-lowest inward score of the tournament.

Rogers finished one stroke behind Lear in third at 17-over 89. He remained Utley’s closest challenger throughout much of the opening nine, staying within two strokes through the sixth. An 8 at the eighth proved costly, however, and left him six behind. Rogers recovered with a 43 on the back nine but could not regain the ground he had lost.

Laws placed fourth at 19-over 91. After turning in 46, he remained within six strokes of Utley through the 12th before closing in 45.

Noah Thompson and Wyatt Mosson shared fifth place at 23-over 95. Thompson’s round included a birdie 3 at the eighth, while Mosson recorded two birdies—the most of anyone in the field—including a 2 at the par-3 third and a 3 at the 17th.

Nyk Lear finished seventh at 96, one stroke ahead of Brayden Cowling. Cowling recovered from difficult scores at the second and seventh to post a 47 on the back nine.

Tanner Watkins was ninth at 99 after reaching the turn in 46, while Rex Utley completed the top 10 at 104. Kevin Schuh finished 11th at 111, and Jordan Cox completed the standings at 131.

No one, however, was able to apply sustained pressure to the leader.

Utley took sole possession at the second, stretched the advantage with the tournament’s most timely birdie and played the final nine without allowing anyone closer than four strokes.

With the lowest score on both sides of the course and a six-stroke margin at the finish, Nathan Utley was the commanding winner of the 2022 Midwest Masters – his fourth triumph in the Tournament’s history.

Nathan Utley turned a steady opening nine into a commanding lead, then closed with the lowest score on both sides of the course for an 11-stroke victory.

Nathan Utley removed the suspense from the 2021 Midwest Masters well before the final holes.

With a composed front-nine performance and the best score on each side of the course, Utley posted an 11-over-par 83 and captured the title by 11 strokes over Nyk Lear.

The winning move came in the middle of the opening nine.

After trailing the early pace set by Wyatt Mosson and Noah Thompson, Utley steadily worked his way to the top of the leaderboard. He moved into contention through the first four holes and then took control for good at the fifth.

From there, he never looked back.

Utley played holes 5 through 9 in five consecutive 4s, a stretch that created decisive separation from the field. By the turn, he had posted a 39—the only sub-40 nine of the day—and built a nine-stroke advantage over both Nyk Lear and Tanner Watkins.

That margin proved more than enough.

The back nine offered the field a small opening when Utley opened the inward side with higher numbers at the 10th and 11th, trimming the lead to seven. Nyk Lear continued to hang within range through the middle of the back nine, and by the 15th the margin had been reduced to six.

But it never became a true late challenge.

Utley steadied himself over the closing holes, played the final three in 13 strokes and finished with a 44 on the inward half. No one else in the field broke 46 on the back nine.

In the end, Utley was the only player to break 40 on either side, the only player to finish under 90, and the only player to post fewer than 45 strokes on the inward nine.

His round included one birdie, nine pars, five bogeys and limited enough damage elsewhere to keep the field at a distance all day.

Nyk Lear secured runner-up honors at 22-over 94 after rounds of 48 and 46. He was tied for second at the turn and remained the closest pursuer throughout the back nine, but never got nearer than six strokes.

Mitch Lear finished alone in third at 26-over 98. He was within four shots of Utley after six holes, but an outward nine of 49 left him chasing the rest of the way. Tanner Watkins followed in fourth at 99 after turning in 48.

Rex Utley completed the top five at 102, one stroke ahead of Wyatt Mosson. Noah Thompson was seventh at 104, followed by Jonah Laws at 106. Ryan Lear and Jordan Cox rounded out the standings.

For much of the afternoon, however, the story belonged solely to Nathan Utley.

He took the lead before the round reached its midpoint, widened it with a spotless stretch of steady golf and never allowed the field to make a serious closing run.

By the time he signed for an 83, the 2021 Midwest Masters had become a runaway in the quest for a third Green Jacket.