Fairways • March 2011
Casper Captures the Inaugural
Sand Hollow Open

by Jim Rayburn

Mason Casper, grandson of Hall of Fame golfer Billy Casper, has always had the game. He's just never quite found the right stage, or had adequate time, to showcase it.

Until recently, his potential in golf has remained relatively hidden and unfulfilled.

Sure, he won a few junior tournaments and had good finishes in a handful of amateur events after graduating from Springville High in 2005, but he's never really competed on a regular basis. Utah golfers only saw glimpses of what lied beneath that smooth, powerful and effortless Casper-trademark swing.

But with two wins this winter in Southern Utah – first the inaugural Sand Hollow Amateur in early January and then the Southern Utah University Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational last month – the Utah Valley University freshman has given notice that he's finally serious about seeing how far his golf game can take him.

"I have always known that I could win and had the potential and the ability to compete with anyone, I just haven't had the time. And because I wasn't playing collegiately I felt there were other priorities," Casper said.

Finally getting the chance to play college golf is the main reason the 23-year-old Casper, son of local pro and Real Golf Radio host Bob Casper, feels his game is on the verge of moving up to the next level.

"I feel like I have a lot more potential than I've already shown," Casper said.

Not being able to play college golf until UVU coach Chris Curran found him a spot on the Wolverines squad this winter is the main reason Casper's game was sidetracked the past few years.

Casper planned, and expected to get a chance, to play college golf immediately after high school. But a misunderstanding over which math classes he was supposed to take in high school, which later prevented him from receiving eligibility from the NCAA Clearinghouse, left him stunned and discouraged.

So instead of pursuing a college career right out of high school, Casper worked and then went on an church mission. Upon returning from his mission he spent the next two summers out of state selling security systems.

It was good money, but not really what he wanted to be doing. And with constant encouragement from his brother Ashton, his father and grandfather to not give up on his college golf dreams, Casper took the classes necessary to become NCAA eligible.

"Whenever I play with my grandpa or go places with him he is always building me up, and telling me that he knows I have a good game and that I am capable of being really good," Casper said.

Last March, Casper got married. His wife Chelsea provided the final push for him to give college golf one more try.

"She didn't want me to have any regrets later on," he said.

Still, getting on UVU's team was no easy task. Former UVU coach Clark Rustand had promised Casper a spot. But when Rustand resigned last summer Casper then had to convince the new coach that he was worthy. It was a hard sell, considering Curran has dozens of college-age golfers hounding him continually for the same chance.

"It wasn't easy and I wasn't really sure of my situation until right before Christmas," Casper said.

Curran, who had never seen Casper hit a golf ball before, relied on a few credible endorsements and invited him to a team meeting in mid-December. It was there that he introduced Casper as a new member of the squad. In early January, Curran saw Casper hit balls for the first time.

"I almost immediately said to myself 'wow, this kid's the real deal'," Curran said.

A week later Casper won his first ever non-junior tournament by shooting 73-69 to take home top honors at Sand Hollow - a Utah Golf Association PPR event. A month later Casper shot 67-70 to win the Pat Hicks at Sunbrook Golf Course, the very first college golf tournament he had ever played in. The last UVU golfer to win medalist honors was Nick Nelson, who took home the title from the American Sky Championship in 2007.

"A lot of kids go their entire college careers without ever winning a tournament," Curran said. "For Mason to win on his very first try just goes to show what kind of game he has. He made the game look easy that weekend. He has the ability to win multiple tournaments and even compete on the national stage."

At the Sand Hollow Amateur, Casper plowed through wicked winds the first day to post a 1-over 73, good enough for a tie with Charley Cline. He came out of the gate on fire in Round 2 with birdies on his first two holes, and then another on the par-5 seventh.

He gave all those shots back, however, with a triple-bogey six on the par-3 eighth. In the past, a big number like that would have sent Casper into a nosedive. Not this time. Not with his new attitude. Not with his new temperament.

"It was like I had only made a bogey. It didn't really get to me. I don't think I've ever been calmer on a golf course in my life. I just felt like if I made pars the rest of the way I'd still win," he said.

He did better. He made birdie on the tough 14th and finished with birdies on No. 17 and No. 18 to win by four shots over Cameron Young and eight over Cline.

"Finishing strong like that was a real confidence builder," Casper said.

At the Pat Hicks, Casper finished the first round at Sunbrook tied with Utah State's Ben Schilleman after both shot 5-under 67s. Casper began his college career with a birdie on the first hole and an eagle on the third hole, and then shot 2-under on the back nine.

Casper closed the tournament with a 2-under 70, while Schilleman struggled home with a 76. Finishing a stroke behind Casper was Dixie State's Taylor Reardon, who posted a final-round 6-under 66.

"To win at Sand Hollow and then win the very first college tournament that I played in, I feel is definitely a breakthrough for me. Right now I feel like if I play like I'm capable of playing, I can compete with anyone in the country and that I'll be in contention to win every time I tee it up. My confidence has never been higher," he said.

Next up for Casper and UVU is the Bandon Dunes Championships in mid-March, hosted by Gonzaga and with teams like Florida in the field.

"I guess I'm going to see how I stack up against all the big boys, so I'm excited for that," he said.

Curran is confident his new star player will show well and continue to lead UVU to bigger and better things.

"He's almost become an instant leader to our team. He's seemed to change the whole focus of our program. He's seriously been a whole program-changer for us," Curran said.

Casper plans to stick around Utah this summer, and is looking forward to the Utah State Amateur and trying to qualify for the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Public Links. Later this month he'll head south again to compete in the UGA Winterchamps.

"These tournaments are the best opportunities in the country. I need that kind of experience for me to get better," he said.

The Sand Hollow Amateur also included a senior PPR competition. Bill Probst, still rehabbing from off-season shoulder surgery, led after Round 1 with a 74. But Allen Simkins stormed back to win with rounds of 76-72 - edging Todd Barker (76-73) by one shot.

Simkins had three birdies and three bogeys in his final round. Barker had four birdies and held a three-shot lead over Simkins after seven holes on the final day, but a triple-bogey six on the par-3 11th allowed Simkins to catch up. Simkins went ahead for good with a birdie on the challenging par-3 15th.

Jim Rayburn is a frequent contributor to Fairways.