NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion men’s golfer Kaijun Ma won an eight-hole playoff this past weekend to capture individual medalist honors at the Portsmouth City Amateur Championship at Bide-A-Wee Golf Course.
The senior from Macau, China carded a four-under par 68 in Saturday’s opening round, then followed with a second round of 74 on Sunday to finish tied for first with a total of 142 (-2). Ma then battled with the 2023 Portsmouth City Amateur champion, Jonathan McEwen, and finally claimed victory after eight holes.
“Honestly, I felt really confident the whole time,” said Ma afterwards. “Standing on the tee, I already believed I was going to win. Even after missing a few good looks to close it out earlier in the playoff, I stayed composed and kept playing solid golf. I knew if I stuck to my game plan, the opportunity would come.”
The field dealt with wind throughout the final round. Ma and McEwen traded birdies several times during the playoff, but McEwen had a bad tee shot, missed the green with his third shot, and settled for a double bogey. That opened the door for Ma, who made his bogey putt to secure the win.
“On the eighth playoff hole, my opponent made a mistake, and I took full advantage of it,” added Ma. “I played smart – no unnecessary risks – and stuck to my process. I hit a controlled approach, two-putted calmly, and sealed the win. My mindset was all about staying patient and disciplined. I don’t attack unless I’m sure the reward outweighs the risk, and this time, that patience paid off.”
ODU begins its fall season this Sunday through Tuesday, Sept. 7-9, at the Myrtle Beach Golf Trips Intercollegiate. Coastal Carolina is hosting the three-day tournament at Grande Dunes Resort Club.