Levi Morgan, a Mathews Pro Staff shooter and one of the best archers in the world, pulls of a dramatic win at Newberry.

Orem, UT – Picking up right were he left off last season, Levi Morgan, the 2012 ASA Shooter of the Year, made a dramatic come from behind effort to win the first ASA event of year, held February 1-3, in Newberry, Florida. Morgan wasn’t alone, as three of the top five in the Men’s Pro Division were Gold Tip shooters, with Joseph Goza taking third place and Thomas Gomez coming in fifth place.  At the outdoor 3-D event, Pro Division contestants shoot two rounds of twenty targets from unmarked distances that vary in distance up to 50 yards.   The five highest scores from the first two rounds qualify for the shoot-off to decide the winner.

Morgan struggled during Saturday’s first round, finishing 11 points off the lead and ending the day in 16th place.  Hopes weren’t high for the remainder of the weekend.

“I’d been snowed in at home in Pennsylvania and really hadn’t been able to practice, so I flew in early Wednesday, but high winds kept us off the range.  Then, I woke up sick Friday and still never made it to the range, “ said Morgan. “I finally got to sight in my bow on Saturday morning just before the first round, but I struggled to stay focused the rest of the day.”

Though well off the pace, Morgan felt he had finally found his groove by the end of Saturday’s first round.  Heading into Sunday’s final 20 targets, he knew he had no choice but to be aggressive.  

“I knew I had to walk that fine line between stupid and smart,” said Morgan. “Being that far behind forced me to think of nothing but going for it and racking up points.  As it turned out, I shot 20 up on Sunday’s targets.”

Morgan’s stellar Sunday performance launched him into second place, earning him a spot in the final shoot down which is reserved for the top five scores from the first two rounds of 20 targets. Also included in the shoot down were Gold Tip shooters, Tommy Gomez, and Joseph Goza.  Morgan started out with 12’s on the first two targets of the shoot down, pushing him to first place.  But as quickly as it came, a 5 on the third target dropped him to fourth place.  Shooters jockeyed for positions on the fourth and fifth arrows, and Morgan found himself back in second place.  He needed a 14 to tie the leader and force a sudden death shoot off.  Morgan’s Gold Tip X-cutter indeed found the 14 and kept him alive.

Morgan and his opponent went on to sudden death where both found the 10 with their first arrow. With his opponent falling short and scoring a 5 on the second arrow, Morgan simply needed an 8 for the come-from-behind victory, but instead matched with a 5 of his own.   On the third and final arrow, Morgan bested his opponent’s 8 with a 12 of his own to clinch the hard fought victory in dramatic style.

 “I couldn’t be happier seeing our Gold Tip team pulling off a win at the first ASA Pro/Am of the year, “ said Mitch McKay, Gold Tip Sales Director. “ When 3 of the top 5 shooters in the Pro Division are finding success at the highest level of competition with one brand of arrow, it further proves the toughness and consistency of Gold Tip products.”