JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tyler Mawhinney isn’t going anywhere. Not yet.
In a sport where many elite golfers opt for the professional feel of the high-stakes juniors game, Mawhinney is enjoying every moment of his high school journey with Fleming Island.
And it’s not over yet.
Mawhinney, now the back-to-back All-News4JAX Varsity 4 boys golfer of the year, helped push the Golden Eagles to their second consecutive team state title. He went two strokes lower at the state tournament than he did in 2023, firing a 6-under 138 to finish as the individual runner-up, four shots behind Plantation American Heritage sophomore Sohan Patel. Patel carded a blistering 10 under, a mark that tied three others for the second-lowest in state history. Only one golfer has shot lower, and only by a stroke.
Was Mawhinney upset by a runner-up finish at state? Not at all. Ten times out of 10, Mawhinney said that he’d sacrifice any personal accolades if it meant he got to share in the team winning a championship. And, of course, the Golden Eagles did that with a 17-stroke win over Delray Beach American Heritage. That team part fuels Mawhinney, and it’s what separates high school golf with his longtime friends from the rugged junior circuit where he’s already a well-known name. It’s why he’d gladly swap medalist honors of his own if it meant he could celebrate a team win with his friends. And it’s why he plans on playing again as a senior, to soak up the memories and the laughs with his teammates.
“It’s so different and definitely something I look forward to every year in the fall,” he said. “It’s just nice being with all your friends you’ve been playing golf with forever. It’s pretty cool [to repeat as team champs]. We kind of all talked about it when we were younger, but really seeing it kind of in person with your own eyes is a whole different ballgame.”
Mawhinney is rapidly becoming one of the golf names to watch out for. The Vanderbilt commit is already one of the best high school golfers through three seasons, winning an individual title and pushing Fleming Island to back-to-back team championships. In the eight high school tournaments he played in this season, Mawhinney was under par in seven of those. Away from the high school field, Mawhinney had a stellar 2024 junior season, playing 15 events and finishing T-11 or better in six of those. Mawhinney won at the Canadian Men’s Amateur last August and went T-9 in both the U.S. Amateur and season-ending Rolex Tournament of Champions last November.
In between those junior events, Mawhinney would tee it up with his high school teammates, going from the long courses of junior golf to the more forgiving setups in high school with his friends.
“For me, the courses are a little bit shorter, and they’re a little less like a championship-style [setup], I guess,” he said. “Like, I came from the U.S. Am, then had a high school event like two days later. So that was a little bit different. U.S. Am’s like 7,500 [yards] with really long rough, and then you go to high school golf, and it’s 700 yards shorter, and pins are easier.”
It’s not unusual to see elite athletes in sports like golf and tennis step away from the high school game and focus on future endeavours. Mawhinney said that isn’t in his plans, and he hopes to be back and attempt a threepeat with Fleming Island. The challenges will be steep, especially with the graduations of Emmet Kuhlenkamp and Dylan Frein, integral parts of the Golden Eagles team.
“We have three guys leaving … so we got some work to do for next year,” he said. “The last two years it was really easier to get the team back to where we were [because of the experience]. It’s going to be a little trickier next year, but we can do it.”
Previous golfers of the year
2024: Tyler Mawhinney, Fleming Island
2023: Tyler Mawhinney, Fleming Island
2022: Brock Blais, Ponte Vedra
2021: Carson Brewer, Ponte Vedra
2020: Andrew Riley, Creekside
2019: Jason Duff, Menendez
Varsity 4 All-News4JAX boys golf team
Golfer, school, class, notable
Luke Balaskiewicz, Bolles, Sr.
Shot 3-under 141 for second at Class 1A state meet. Region champ at 3-under 68. District champ at 2-under 70.
Ryan Houck, Fleming Island, Jr.
Region runner-up with even-par 72. Had 8-over 152 for 10th at state. T-3 at district (even-par 72).
Bryson Hughes, Creekside, Sr.
Finished fifth with even par 144 in 3A state meet as individual qualifier. Had 3-under 69 in first round. Ninth at region (even-par 72).
Emmet Kuhlenkamp, Fleming Island, Sr.
Shot 2-over 146 for fifth place at 2A state meet. Third at region (1-over 73). District champ (4-under 68).
Tyler Mawhinney, Fleming Island, Jr.
Back-to-back All-News4JAX golfer of the year. Three-time All-News4JAX selection. Carded 6-under 138 to finish as 2A state runner-up for team champ Golden Eagles. Region champ at 2-under 70. District runner-up (2-under 70) at district. Went under par in seven of his eight events this season. Committed to Vanderbilt.
Second team
Golfer, school, class
Jack Chung, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Shot 6-over 150 for 17th at state. T-15 at region with 2-over 74.
Aubrey Fellows, Episcopal, So.
Finished 4-over 148 for 16th in Class 1A state meet. T-4 in region with 1-over 72. Had 8-over 80 at district for T-12.
Ambrose Kinnare, Tocoi Creek, Fr.
T-4 at region with 2-under 70. District champ at 4-under 68. Finished 10-over 154 for 27th at state meet.
Jaspreet Kondal, Beachside, So.
Was 9-over 153 for 25th at Class 3A state meet. Region co-medalist with 4-under 68. District runner-up at 2-under 70.
Jake Mason, Ponte Vedra, So.
Individual medalist (4-under 68) at region for team champ Sharks. Shot 4-over 76 for 19th at district. Shot 6-over 150 for 17th at 3A state meet.
Honorable mention
Golfer, School, Class
Nicholas Adamonis, Nease, Sr.
Kelly Day, Bolles, Jr.
Cooper Franklin, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Dylan Frein, Fleming Island, Sr.
Samuel Ha, Beachside, So.
Colson Hale, Fernandina Beach, So.
Neal Kuthiala, Bolles, Jr.
Enzo Martinez, Bolles, Sr.
Chase McBride, Nease, Sr.
Carson Moore, Fleming Island, Jr.
Jonah Nacional, Beachside, Jr.
Easton Oliva, Ponte Vedra, Jr.
Evan Raynor, Bishop Kenny, Sr.
Cameron Reed, Ponte Vedra, Sr.
Josef Reed, Paxon, Sr.
Mason Seaton, Fletcher, Jr.
Ethan Tak, Nease, Sr.
Dawson Wooley, Suwannee, So.
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