WPH Press, College Station, TX, 10/2/22
The Texas A&M University Handball Club was thrilled to present the Bob Davidson R48 Pre Qualifier in College Station, TX at the Student Rec Center, the first R48 Pre Qualifier since 2019.
Tournament director and Texas A&M handball coach Martin Mulkerrins and his team recruited 58 players in the tournament, with 20 players entering the R48 Pre Qualifier. “We were very excited to host the Bob Davidson R48 Pre Qualifier, showcasing many of the game’s top stars and highlighting our growing collegiate handball program at Texas A&M,” stated Mulkerrins.
2022 R48 Player’s Champion Martin Mulkerrins entered the Davidson as the top seed on the heels of winning the Austin City Championships last weekend, while former Missouri State All-American and R48 top 12 star Max Langmack entered the Davidson as the number two seed and perennial R48 contender and multiple-time Texas State champion Adam “Weekend at Bernie’s” Bernhard earning the number three seed.
Mulkerrins defeated his countryman Mark Doyle in the semifinals, with the 19-year-old Doyle announcing himself as a R48 contender with an impressive array of shots. Bernhard and Langmack added another chapter to what is quickly becoming one of the most competitive rivalries in the game. Langmack outscored Bernie by a combined 42-34 but could not score the crucial points at the end of the first and third games. “Trailing 9-12 in the third, Bernhard found his renowned lob serve into the left corner to come back and win,” stated Mulkerrins.
Mulkerrins defeated Bernie for the second time in as many weekends in the final, overwhelming the methodical Texan with power and control. “Martin played really well today,” stated Bernie. “I had very few chances to do anything with the ball. All of his serves, kills, and passes were very well controlled.”
Semifinals
Mulkerrins def M. Doyle 15-8, 15-4
Bernhard def Langmack 16-14, 3-15, 15-13
Final: Mulkerrins def Bernhard 15-2, 15-3
Taylor Bell rallied from a one-game deficit to defeat Kristen Hughes in the Women’s Open final to defeat Hughes for the first time, 9-15, 15-12, 15-8, while Gary Scogin dominated the 40+ singles, winning all three of his matches without dropping a game.
Thank you to Texas A&M and Martin Mulkerrins for running an outstanding event.
Follow all of the brackets from the Bob Davidson HERE
David Fink
WPH Senior Writer