The final hours of Noah Norton’s year were spent climbing one final leaderboard. The Georgia Tech junior turned it on once he reached the back nine of the Patriot All-America on Dec. 31. With three birdies from Nos. 10-13, he effectively lifted himself out of the crowd and cleared a path toward a season-ending win at the Wigwam’s Gold Course in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
The Patriot All-America Invitational started in 2011 and features a cross-section of college golf talent from all divisions.
Each golfer in the tournament honors a fallen or severely injured soldier by carrying a bag bearing that person’s name.
PATRIOT ALL-AMERICAN: Leaderboard
It’s a fitting way for the year to end for Norton, a Chico, California, native who advanced through U.S. Open qualifying to tee it up at Pebble Beach in June. A runner-up finish followed two weeks later at the North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2.
His good play throughout the summer season pulled him inside the top 100 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. After the fall season at Georgia Tech, he is No. 85 in the WAGR.
The jacket sealed the deal🏆@noahnorton36, you made your battle buddy Army Sergeant Michael S. Curry proud! #PatriotGolfAZ pic.twitter.com/Vxj82S31ZY
— Patriot All-America (@PatriotAllAm) January 1, 2020
Norton has worked to improve his game off the tee in the past year, but also to be more collected on the course. Interestingly, he may have a knack for coaching, too. When Georgia Tech teammate Andy Ogletree won the U.S. Amateur in August, Ogletree referenced a putting tip from Norton that had been season-changing.
Georgia Tech, by the way, finished the fall season No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
At the Wigwam, Norton’s closing 68 was enough to hold off a trio of players in second. Norton reached 7 under for the week, while Mason Overstreet, Jackson Suber and Sam Choi were all at 6 under.
Overstreet, a senior at Arkansas, won this event in 2017.
The two men in fifth included Pepperdine’s Joey Vrzich and Illinois State’s David Perkins.
As a team, Arizona State may have fared the best by placing Mason Anderson solo seventh at 4 under and Blake Wagoner in a tie for 12th at 1 under. A third teammate, Cameron Sisk, finished T-43.
Patriot All-American champions
2018 – Isaiah Jackson, Memphis
2017 – Mason Overstreet, Arkansas
2016 – Cameron Champ, Texas A&M
2015 – Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss
2014 – Kyle Kochevar, Virginia
2013 – Kyle Westmoreland, Air Force
2012 – Sebastian Cappelen, Arkansas
2011 – Cory Whitsett, Alabama