Utah Open: Nicholas Mason's new swing solves rough winds

FARMINGTON — Nicholas Mason has experienced the entire spectrum of golf.

As a late starter to the game he's felt the highs of daily improvement, the satisfaction of just being part of a college (Hawaii) golf team and the thrills of competing professionally.

As a professional he's felt the rush of winning the Hawaii State Open a couple of times, the Nebraska Open in 2007 and the first stage of the PGA Tour Q-School last year.

But he's also tasted the struggles and frustration that young professionals go through. In fact, two weeks ago, after five years as a professional, he called his mother and talked about giving up the game.

"I was telling my buddies that I was going to go work at Subway," said the self-described Army brat, who was born in Germany but grew up in Virginia and Hawaii, and now resides in Denver.

But like top-level players always seem to do, Mason finally found something that clicked for him. With a minor swing change a couple of weeks ago, the golf magic returned.

Saturday, while everyone else was struggling in the second round of the Utah Open with winds gusting between 20-40 mph at Oakridge Country Club, Mason's new swing had him running away from the field.

"You have to hit it right in the center of the club in this wind, and I've done that the past two days," Mason said. "I haven't mishit a shot yet. It just seems like every shot I have fits my eye."

On a day when the stroke average was more than two shots higher than Round 1 and only two other golfers (Matt Baird and Richard Lee) broke 70, Mason posted a 5-under 67 to go with his opening-round 6-under 66 to take a 5-shot lead into today's final round.

"It's been a long time since I've been in this position. It's going to be fun," Mason said.

Overall, only nine golfers broke par on Saturday compared to 44 on Friday. Closest to Mason, at 6-under, are Sandy amateur Cameron Crawford and former University of Colorado golfer Derek Tolan, who won the Colorado Open in 2009 and was one of the youngest ever to qualify for the U.S. Open when he played at Bethpage in 2002 at the age of 16.

At minus 5 are Richard Lee, 1981 champion Jim Blair, Tim McKenney and Coloradoan Patrick Grady. At 4-under, seven shots back and tied for eighth, are Mark Owen and Vincent Johnson. Tied for 10th at 3-under are Riverside assistant Chris Moody, defending champion Nathan Lashley, BYU assistant women's golf coach Jake Ellison and Jarrett Hamamoto.