WVU senior Mark Goetz runs away with home invitational for first college title

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 | 11:27 PM

Mark Goetz wasn’t playing Hannastown Golf Club, his home course in the summer months, but he sure looked at home at Pete Dye Golf Course in Bridgeport, W.Va.

That is the home course of the West Virginia golf team, which hosted the 54-hole Mountaineer Invitational.

Goetz, a Greensburg native, had the round of the tournament — and his career — as he posted a 7-under-par 65 in the third round Tuesday to finish at 12-under 204 to lap the field and claim his first collegiate title.

He was the only player under par and won by 12. Brice Wilkinson of Southern Mississippi was second at even 216.

Goetz, who played high school golf at The Kiski School, went bogey free over the final 18 holes and made seven birdies to top his previous best round by one shot. For the tournament, he made 16 birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey, and made par of better over his last 28 holes.

He finished tied for second in last year’s Mountaineer Invitational.

Your Mountaineer Invitational champion – Mark Goetz! Mark shot 12-under-par, including 7-under-par on Tuesday. #HailWV pic.twitter.com/8cUiTHGFX1

— WVU Golf (@WVUGolf) April 13, 2021

“Mark had an amazing round today,” WVU coach Sean Covich told WVUsports.com. “The rough was like the U.S. Open with really tough conditions. He has been our leader all year. I kept telling him he’s going to win a tournament. To do it at home is pretty special.”

West Virginia finished at 7-under in the final round to win the team title (9 over) for the third straight time.

The 65 ties Goetz for the fourth-lowest round in program history. He carded a 70 and 69 in the first two rounds. His 204 is the second-lowest total for 54 holes at WVU.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.