The Scottsdale Community College men’s golf team qualified for the National Junior College Championship in dramatic comeback fashion.

After two rounds of the sectional playoff qualifier held April 25-28 at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort, South Mountain Community College was running away with the team competition while Scottsdale trailed Mesa Community College by 10 shots for the second and final playoff spot.

It was an overall tough day three for the two schools.

Mesa’s lead was cut to three shots, as Scottsdale’s freshman Matt Creighton shot a two-under-par 68. In the fourth and final round, it literally came down to the last hole for both schools.

Each Scottsdale golfer parred the tough finishing hole to earn a close three-shot victory for SCC, winning by a score of 1183-1186 to capture the second and final spot for the national championship.

The men’s National Junior College Championship was played in Plymouth, Indiana May 21-24 at Swan Lake Golf Course. Scottsdale finished the team competition in 12th place.

Creighton shot a superb three under par 69 in the final round to end up in 24th place out of 126 golfers. Freshman Zachary Reiser was second on the team finishing in 53rd place.

Notably, SCC conference rival, South Mountain CC took home first place honors in the NJCAA team competition and South Mountain’s Leon D’Souza took home the first place trophy in the NJCAA individual competition with a score of 284 (-4).

As South Mountain’s roster, this season was mostly sophomores, including D’Souza, Coach Dersam and the SCC men’s team will look to take over the top spot in the conference next season.

The Scottsdale Community College Women’s golf team season wrapped up their season as well.

They didn’t make it into the top two this year, however freshman Alana Hackett qualified in one of the four individual spots.

“It’s tough to just qualify for the National Junior College Championships, as only the top two college teams from each conference qualify plus the remaining top four individual players, said Scottsdale Community College head coach, Dan Dersam.

Scottsdale’s women’s golf team is comprised of entirely freshmen and have a good chance to qualify next year.

The Women’s National Championship was held at the prestigious LPGA International Headquarters May 13-16 in Daytona Beach, Florida. 

Hackett finished in 103rd place out of 127 golfers, improving her score each day, on one of the top 10 courses in the USA as ranked by Golf Digest. 

“The LPGA International treats us first class all the way the entire week and the course is a treat to play,” Dersam said.