Without his top five competing, Fleming Island defeated Oakleaf on Tuesday, August 26 169-174 with sophomore Mason Blom taking top honors with a 39 at Eagle Landing Golf Course.

Mawhinney is slated to travel to a few national tournaments in Washington and New York as Cloud tweaks his team to keep momentum for his return and the team's run at an astounding third straight state title.

"We tell them to play the course and not worry about what other golfers are doing," said Cloud. "We now have two pretty intense matches that we have already played (Preseason third place at Ponte Vedra High invitational two weeks ago behind Ponte Vedra and Beachside) and we will get those one or two strokes back before November. That's when it all counts."

Those four and five golfers; junior William McGready and senior Eli Lewis, held court with McGready hitting a 39 and Lewis a 41 while Beachside's Jaden Nacional and Palmer Scott, both sophomores, hit 37 and 38, respectively.

"Those two are interchangeable on the day as both are very good on any given day," said Fleming Island coach Bruce Cloud. "Tyler is strong up top and it will be up to our four and five golfers to get us to a third state title."

Fleming Island kept pace with number two and three seeds Carson Moore and Ryan Houck tying at 35 for fourth place points. Houck was 10th in the 2A meet last year with Moore 25th.

It was the eighth hole that Ha took the lead with his third birdie then both golfers landing par on the final hole. Kondal birdied the ninth hole to tie Mawhinney at 34.

Beachside's Jaspreet Kondal had the hot hand in the first four holes with a bogie on one then three straight birdies to hold a one stroke lead to the fifth hole where Ha and Mawhinney both hit birdies and Kondal hit for par.

Ha birdied hole one; a par four straightaway shot, to take the early lead with Mawhinney getting a birdie on five to even the score.

Mawhinney finished one stroke off Ha with a 34 score off just two birdies (3 and 5) on the day and four pars to finish his nine hole round.

With the top finisher for the day going to Beachside junior Samuel Ha, 33rd in the Class 3A tournament last year, with a 3-under 33 score off three birdies and six par finishes, Mawhinney stayed right on Ha's shoulder throughout the match making each of the nine holes a spinetingling fan bonanza.

"We know Beachside is a top team up here as we are," said Fleming Island coach Bruce Cloud, who was without graduated Emmet Kuhlenkamp, who was fifth last year in the Class 2A title run and is now at University of West Florida, plus graduate Dylan Frein, who was 16th in the 2A meet and is now at Carson Newman College. "Some one will have to step up to keep our top finishers close to each other. We have had pretty good groups the past few years."

FLEMING ISLAND - In one of the more awaited clashes in boys high school golf in the North Florida, Fleming Island, the Class 3A state champion in 2023 along with champion Tyler Mawhinney and 2A champion and runner up Mawhinney a year ago, hosted 3A top-ranked Beachside High, which was fourth last year, in a dual match at Fleming Island Golf Club amidst all the drama of a heavyweight boxing match.
"We know Beachside is a top team up here as we are," said Golden Eagles coach Bruce Cloud, who was without graduated Emmet Kuhlenkamp, who was fifth last year, and who now is at the University of West Florida, and graduate Dylan Frein, who was 16th and is now at Carson Newman College. "Someone will have to step up to keep our top finishers close to each other. We have had pretty good groups the past few years."

With the top finisher going to Beachside junior Samuel Ha, who was 33rd last year, with a 3-under-par 33, with three birdies and six pars, Mawhinney stayed right on Ha's heels with a spine-tingling fan bonanza.
Mawhinney finished one stroke back with a 34. He birdied the third and fifth holes and made pars the rest of the way.

Ha birdied No. 1, a par 4,  to take the early lead, with Mawhinney getting a birdie on 5 to even the score.

Beachside's Jaspreet Kondal had the hot hand in the first four holes with a bogey on one, then three straight birdies to hold a one-stroke lead until the fifth, when Ha and Mawhinney both made birdies and Kondal parred.
The eighth hole is where Ha took the lead with a birdie. Ha and Mawhinney both parred nine; Kondal birdied the final hole to tie Mawhinney for second at 2-under.

Fleming Island kept pace with their second and third seeds, Carson Moore and Ryan Houch, both shooting 1-under 35s. Houck was 10th at the 2A championship last year, while Moore was 25th.

"Those two are interchangeable on the day as both are very good on any given day," said Fleming Island coach Bruce Cloud. "Tyler is strong up top, and it will be up to our four and five golfers to get us to a third state title."
Those four and five golfers, junior William McGready and senior Eli Lewis, held court with McGready hitting a 39 and Lewis a 41. In contrast, Beachside's Jaden Nacional and Palmer Scott, both sophomores, shot 37 and 38, respectively.
"We tell them to play the course and not worry about what other golfers are doing," said Cloud. "We now have two pretty intense matches that we have already played (preseason third place at Ponte Vedra High invitational two weeks ago behind Ponte Vedra and Beachside), and we will get those one or two strokes back before November. That's when it all counts."
Mawhinney is slated to travel to a few national tournaments in Washington and New York as Cloud tweaks his team to maintain momentum for his return and the team's pursuit of an astounding third consecutive state title.
Without his top five competing, Fleming Island defeated Oakleaf on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 169-174, with sophomore Mason Blom taking top honors with a 39 at Eagle Landing Golf Course.