By Jeff Barnes
While Andrew Walker isn’t quite done with his Spartan career, he’s got more golf to look forward to. Walker finished in the top-5 of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada Qualifying Tournament in late February. The finish ensured he will be a part of the Mackenzie Tour for at least part of the 2021 season.
Walker took part in the Mackenzie Tour Q School East. He scored two of his first three rounds in the 60s, carding a 67, 71 and 66, respectively. He then fired an even-par 72 and was one of three players to finish tied for 5th at 12-under-par 276.
With the top-six players earning status for the first half of the season, officials held a three-players-for-two-spots playoff with the trio, starting at No. 15.
“It was a pretty tough hole,” Walker said. “There was water up the left side and bunkers to the right. I felt very confident on how I played the hole in the other rounds. I pulled out my driver and hit a good shot, then hit my wedge pretty much exactly where I was looking.”
Walker, the only amateur of the three playoff golfers, was then the first of the players in the playoff to advance when he sunk a 20-foot birdie putt.
“I was putting well in the tournament – I just didn’t get many to drop that day, but I didn’t let that take away from my confidence in the moment,” Walker said. “I knew it was bound to fall eventually. I starred it down and focused on putting the ball in the center of the cup. I stayed calm, confident and it went in, dead center. It was pretty cool.”
Once Walker completes his senior season with the Spartans and graduates this spring, his Mackenzie Tour status will activate. He’ll be exempt into the first half of the schedule before the reshuffle.
Walker, a graduate of Battle Creek Lakeview High, was Mr. Golf in Michigan 3 times, from 2014-16. He won back-to-back Division 1 state championships his junior and senior seasons, and finished just two stokes back as a sophomore.
