Area natives talk playing home course at APT event
May 23—For two golfers in the All Pro Tour Real Okie Championship, playing at the Muskogee Golf Club was another day them.
Muskogee natives Cason Stewart and Mesa Falleur have had strong experience at Muskogee's top course. Northeastern State sophomore, Stewart lives across the street from the golf course and has the chance to play every day when he is home. This year marked the third time Stewart appeared in the event. His first appearance came when he was just 16 years old.
"I am fortunate to play it every day," Stewart said. "I am one of the few people in this tournament [that get to play this course every day]. It is a good feeling, I can rely on the secrets of where to land it, it's a good advantage to have."
Falleur, a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, won the Club Championship at the course in the spring. Winning the championship earned him a free pass to the APT Tournament.
"It is a course I am comfortable with and people I am comfortable with," Falleur said. "I'm not expecting anything I just want to go out and have fun. I have played well, so I just look to not get in my way. It is good competition and it is nice to sleep in your own bed and roll out and not have to fly across the country."
Throughout the start of the tournament, the two golfers were off to some different starts. Falleur was just three strokes back of the leader after shooting a three under par after day one.
"I played pretty well on day one, I made some mistakes. I made a big no-no on two and dropped a shot. Overall it was a good day, I was only three back after the first round," Falleur said.
Falleur now sits back two strokes with a five-under-par outing on day two sitting eight strokes under sitting in a tie for third place with Fred Wedel. Falleur also sits in second with 11 birdies over the two days of the tournament.
While Falleur will make the cut, Stewart's tournament came to an end early. Stewart ended up missing the cut after finishing with 12-over par overall. Despite struggling during the event, the 18-year-old RiverHawk once again improved his score from the event a year ago.
"Over the years I have grown as a golfer, I've done better and better each year," Stewart said. "Playing with this great field is something that takes away you up your game a little bit. You see a shot and you're like I can't hit that, but try and work on it for next year."
Throughout the event, the incoming sophomore was able to use his knowledge of the course to his advantage. Stewart said he hit his long and short clubs well but struggled on the greens.
"I killed myself lipping out on birdie and par putts," Stewart said. "The back nine rolled over and I lipped out nine birdie putts and about four par putts. I didn't do anything too great. This is my third year playing, I am looking to make some changes next year and make the cut. I hit the shots I need but I couldn't make my putts."
The start of the tournament wasn't a pretty one for Stewart. Both days of the practice round were pushed back with Stewart starting his practice round on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and teed off at 7:30 a.m. the next morning.
APT returns to action at the Muskogee Golf Club at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, May 24.
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