Eastern Arizona Wins Home Gila Monster Shootout Behind Strong Individual Performances

THATCHER, Az.– Eastern Arizona College put together a complete performance at its home tournament, winning the Gila Monster Shootout at Mt. Graham Golf Club on April 13–14. The Gila Monsters finished first as a team at 10 under par, separated from the field by six shots.

Leading the way was Pavel Casas, who captured the individual title with a three round total of 9 under par. Casas set the tone early and stayed consistent throughout the tournament, posting rounds of 67, 68, and 72 to secure first place. His steady ball striking and control around the greens were key factors in Eastern Arizona's team win.

Alexander Yap followed closely behind with a second place finish at 8 under par. Yap shot rounds of 71, 68, and 69 to finish just one stroke off the lead. The one two finish at the top of the leaderboard gave the Gila Monsters a major advantage in their home event and anchored the team score all three days.

Eastern Arizona also had depth throughout the top of the field. John Kaul finished tied for fifth at 2 over par after putting together three solid rounds. Dharit Iemkanitchat placed tied for tenth at 5 over par, continuing to contribute consistent scores to the team total. Zeke Mieskoski rounded out Eastern Arizona's top 15 finishers, tying for 14th at 7 over par.

With multiple players finishing inside the top 15 and the top two spots on the individual leaderboard, Eastern Arizona controlled the tournament from start to finish. The home course advantage at Mt. Graham Golf Club proved valuable, and the Gila Monsters capitalized with disciplined play and balanced scoring across the lineup.

Eastern Arizona will look to carry this momentum into the remainder of the spring season following a strong showing in front of their home crowd.