Cool Guy Cameron Wilson Wins 2014 NCAA Individual Title
/There was so much to enjoy in Cameron Wilson's win at Prairie Dunes, his third individual title of the year after wins at the Fighting Illini and the Western Intercollegiate. A fan of classic architecture, Wilson won tournaments in 2013-14 at Olympia Fields, Pasatiempo and Prairie Dunes.
Even more impressive, the senior from Rowayton, Connecticut joins Sandy Tatum and Tiger Woods as Stanford's "other" NCAA individual title winners.
Brentley Romaine's game story noted this of the sudden death playoff win over Georgia Tech's Ollie Schniederjans:
“It’s incredible. I’m so glad I made that putt,” said Wilson, who finished at 6-under 204 to help the Cardinal to a nine-shot victory in the team competition. Stanford earned the top seed for match play, which was schedule from May 27-28.
The victory gives Wilson, who notched 11 top 10s in 12 starts, three individual titles this season. None were more satisfying.
His Golf Channel interview just moments after winning:
And his interview with Kelly Tilghman on the Golf Channel set includes highlights and a great image of Cameron with mom Myra Gelband (more on that below).
My favorite answer from his post round press conference? It's not often you read about golfers of any age level soaking up the grandeur of what was a beautiful looking scene in the late light on an American classic while trying to win a historically significant title. And even mentions fescue!
Q. How disappointed were you after No. 18, and did you kind of have to regroup a little bit on the range going into the playoff?
CAMERON WILSON: I was disappointed, sure, but I hit a couple shots that I liked on the last hole. The tee shot I hit almost exactly how I wanted to. Didn't hit it that much further left than I was hoping to. And the second shot I did what I meant to, and the rough caught my club. I really didn't stray from my plan that much, and I didn't beat myself up. Then when we got to the playoff, I was just thinking how cool it was. The sun was setting and the fescue was everywhere. We had the American flags out, and I've known Ollie for a while. He's a friend. As much as I wanted to win, Ollie is a friend and so I was just thinking how cool it was. It was a really cool scene.
The StanfordMensGolf.org page devoted the program has a lot of nice clips and tidbits on Cameron. The school's official roster page for Wilson.
Wilson's mother, Myra Gelband, was a longtime journalist working for Sports Illustrated and no doubt was depicted in fictional fashion as one of the smart, brilliant women in Dan Jenkins' You Gotta Play Hurt. Gelband was Dan's longtime researcher/reporter/confidante during his SI days. Dan noted this in a Tweet a couple of years ago.
Wilson was the first Stanfordian to use a push cart due to a back injury, something the entire team now uses. They will come in handy over the next two days as the top seeded team hopes to play two rounds each day.
Stanford grad Michelle Wie defended the push carts in entertaining fashion.
"@GolfweekNichols: Thoughts on the Stanford men using pushcarts?" Real men use pushcarts #nerdnation #GoCard
— Michelle Wie (@themichellewie) May 27, 2014
Wilson posted a brief Tweet before getting much needed rest for Tuesday's team match play starting bright and early.
What an honor to win the 2014 Indy title. But still lots of golf left! Proud of how my team has played but this is far from over!
— Cameron Wilson (@CAWilsonGolf) May 27, 2014
Here is an interview Wilson did with Mark Soltau back in October.
All day coverage of match play begins at 10 am ET on Golf Channel.