GIRLS GOLF: Leaving no doubt – Chicago Tribune

May 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

AUSTIN Mark Burgen’s final words summed up the experience for Andrews High School’s girls golf team at Jimmy Clay Golf Course.

“It never gets old.”

The Lady Mustangs repeated as Class 3A champions Friday in the UIL State Golf Championships, also winning their fourth title out of the last six years and 10th in program history.

PHOTO GALLERY: UIL golf state championships

There were shirts to commemorate the accomplishment, more gold medals and smiles as Andrews shot 322 in the second round for a 36-hole total of 638. The Lady Mustangs finished with a 42-shot victory over runner-up Lampasas (680).

“I think what really keeps us going is trying to go for the gold individually,” senior Whitlee Woods said. “Because we know if we’re better it makes the team better. That’s really what it is.”

Woods finished second in the overall standings, shooting 77 in the second round for a 155 total.

RELATED: May 4 golf state scoreboard

Behind her was McKenzie Long, a fellow senior and West Texas A&M signee who shot 76 and won a playoff for the third-place individual medal after finishing at 157.

Then came sophomore Sarah Black at 159 for sixth overall after an 83 in the second round, while freshman Kalli Jennings shot 86 and finished 13th with a 167.

Four players in the top 13 of the standings? Probably a good way to win a state title.

“We knew we had to live up to the year before,” said Black, who fell short of defending her medalist title. “I’m lucky to have a good team. We all push each other and help each other out when we’re not doing good.”

Payten Payne, a junior, shot her second consecutive round of 90 that was not used for team purposes.

Her 90 in the second round would’ve been used by any other team in the field, however.

“It’s pretty awesome just coming as an alternate last year and getting to actually be up there,” Payne said of participating in this year’s awards ceremony. “I might not have helped very much with my score, but having a team that can back me up is pretty awesome. It definitely makes you want to come back and do it again.”

STORY: Andrews’ comeback comes agonizingly close

Jennings was the other first-timer for the Lady Mustangs after moving to Andrews from Odessa while she was in junior high.

If the freshman didn’t know what the full Andrews golf experience was before playing 36 holes at the state tournament, she does now.

“It’s going to help a lot next year,” Jennings said. “It was a lot of fun. It was a good experience and I definitely want to come back hopefully all three years.”

With three returning players, that certainly seems like a possibility.

But even for a program like Andrews and a golfer with a legacy such as Long’s — her older sister Addison was on state championship teams in 2007 and 2008 — state medals aren’t a given.

McKenzie Long is a four-time state qualifier, but her two state titles came as a junior and senior. And her first individual medal came Friday when she won a one-hole playoff against Carmen Gonzales of Lampasas for the bronze.

“It’s just an awesome accomplishment and it’s not done very many times and I’m glad to be a part of it,” Long said of repeating. “I think a big part of it is just to make (the team) you have to play good. Ten state championships, that’s big shoes to fill and to keep going, and that’s a big reason why there is a tradition.”

A decade’s worth of titles — and counting.

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PERFECT 10

Andrews girls golf state championships

>> Class 4A: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996

>> Class 3A: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012

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BOYS GOLF: Red Devils claim title – Chicago Tribune

May 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

AUSTIN Ty Self is the only senior on the Rankin golf team and this was his last chance — perhaps his best chance — to fulfill a goal he had when he started competing for the Red Devils’ athletic programs four years ago.

With 18 holes to play in the UIL Class 1A Boys Golf State Championships, Self and his teammates were one shot in front of Martin’s Mill, with District 2-1A rival Wink sitting third.

Self knew that the final five hours of his high school athletic career would not only define his time at the school but help shape a program that had won five straight state titles from 1973-1977.

He wanted the golf team back on the map, for the rest of Class 1A to know that earning a state crown meant having to deal with Rankin at some point of the season.

When all was said and done at Lions Municipal Golf Course Friday afternoon, Self was reduced to spectator status, hoping that his second-round 92 would to be tossed to the side and his teammates would bail him out.

It was and they did, with Quinton Coppedge, Nathan Braden, Taylor Thompson and Tanner Thompson putting together the best round of the tournament to clinch Rankin’s first state crown in 35 years.

PHOTO GALLERY: UIL golf state championships

“If feels amazing to finally get a state championship,” Self said. “This is something that I’ve wanted for the school since I got here and we weren’t able to get it in football or basketball and this was my last chance to win a state championship, so I really wanted this.

“Then, I didn’t play very well and that upset me. But today my teammates were there for me and that’s what this game is all about; I’m so proud of the guys and the way they came through.”

Rankin shot 330 on Friday, finishing with a two-day total of 665. Martin’s Mill was second at 671 (336-335), with Wink holding on to third at 693 (353-340).

RELATED: May 4 golf state scoreboard

Jackson Latimer of Martin’s Mill was the state medalist with a two-round total of 146 (72-74), with Brody Davis of Canadian (72-75147) and Clay Atkinson of Tilden McMullan County (75-75150) finishing second and third, respectively.

Coppedge was in the leadoff spot for the Red Devils on this day and finished in 88 strokes — 17-over par, but nine shots better than Thursday’s effort.

Next came Self’s 92 and as he stood along the 18th green tallying his final score, the competitive nature that drives him was evident as he walked away from several well wishers after having bogeyed the final hole.

“Ty is very competitive and you saw that there,” Rankin coach Brad Thompson said. “He’s been a real leader for us and it was no different this year.

“I’m so proud of the way our kids played today and so happy that Ty was able to get a state championship because he’s done everything for Rankin. And the way Quinton played today really made the difference for us because we had to count his score after Ty struggled.”

Braden carded a second straight 86. Then Taylor Thompson, one of Brad Thompson’s sons, brought in a 6-over 77, which was seven shots better than his Martin’s Mill playing partner, Will Schneider.

At that point, the Red Devils off the course watched as Tanner Thompson, the coach’s other son, rolled in an 8-foot par putt on the final hole for a 79.

“I played the way I know I can play,” Taylor Thompson said of his four-shot improvement from the first round. “You kind of know what’s going on, but you have to concentrate on yourself.

“It’s great to be able to end the season with the state title because it’s something we’ve been working toward all year.”

For Wink, finishing with a medal helped rid the players of some of the memories of 2010 when the Wildcats took the lead into the final day, only to falter and finish fourth.

Jacob Garcia and JC Wilbourn led the team with matching 160s, while Seth Abbott rebounded to finish at 167.

Casey Fuqua posted the other score as Coach Charlie Stodghill said goodbye to five seniors.

“They played well today and it was nice to hang on to third and bring home some hardware,” Stodghill said. “We talked (Friday) night about just going out relaxed because it was their last round and playing golf and that’s what they did.

“They’ve all been a big part of the program and it’s hard to see them go. But they went out with state medals.”

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Prep golf: Chang propels Vikings – Signal

April 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Valencia golfer Jonathan Chang is going for it.

Medalist at Foothill League matches, Foothill League Most Valuable Player and a third straight Newhall Land Cup title.

But a hole in one?

He wasn’t going for that on Wednesday.

But he got it nonetheless.

And an eagle four holes later?

He got that, too.

The senior golfer shot a 3-under par 69 on Wednesday at Robinson Ranch Golf Club during the fourth Foothill League match, leading Valencia to its first outright Foothill League match win since 2009.

“I’m just trying to play golf. Last year was a struggle. I had no confidence,” Chang said.

Chang’s confidence is definitely back. And with it is a sense of humor.

“I had a rough day,” he joked about Wednesday.

Last season, Chang got a new swing coach and completely changed his swing from grip, to posture, to follow through.

It took him a while to adjust. At times he said he couldn’t crack 90.

In four league matches this season, he has been medalist three times.

On Wednesday, he was at his most impressive.

On the par-3 No. 4 hole, he hit the ball 137 yards into the cup.

Chang said the ball disappeared after he drove it over the slope and he didn’t want to say anything until he located the ball.

“I was directly in front of (Chang’s) group with (two other coaches). We heard him. In fact the whole golf course could hear him. It was echoing through the entire golf course,” said Valencia head coach Robert Waters of his golfer’s celebration.

Four holes later, Chang drove the ball on the par-4, 273-yard No. 8 to within 10 feet of the hole. The ball rested on some fringe and he chipped in for eagle.

The rest of his team put up scores between 77 and 82 to help the Vikings win their first league match outright since April 23, 2009.

West Ranch finished second with a team score of 391, led by Joey Downey’s 74.

Despite Valencia surging in the last two league matches, after finishing second on Tuesday, West Ranch appears on its way to winning its fifth straight league title.

The Wildcats built a 41-stroke lead after the first two Foothill matches on Valencia and Saugus has been drifting of late with two straight third-place finishes.

The Centurions shot a 402, led by Braden Lewis’ 77.

Hart finished fourth for the third straight match with a 418, highlighted by Chad David’s 78.

Alek Golden again led Canyon with an 80, as the Cowboys took fifth for the fourth straight time with a 445.

Golden Valley didn’t have enough qualifying scores for the second straight league match.

Harrison Edwards shot a 92 for the Grizzlies.

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Golf Bag: No. 2 Ranked 14th in World – Southern Pines Pilot

April 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Pinehurst Resort’s renowned No. 2 Course has made a strong statement in the LINKS Magazine 100, debuting at No. 14 in the world.

This new golf course rankings system harnesses the power and scope of the Internet to allow every golfer to have a voice. Anyone can participate and the results are updated continuously. The LINKS100 includes both U.S. and world “Top 100” lists. 

Golfers are invited to log onto LINKSMagazine.com to create their own personal rankings of the best courses they’ve played, which may be added to or refined whenever a new course is played. And every time an individual list is changed, it will be tabulated into the LINKS100, with the results updated and reported on the LINKS site. 

LINKS100 is the brainchild of George Peper, who created the first true list of “Top 100 Golf Courses in the World.” In 1979, while editor of Golf Magazine, Peper unveiled the first ranking of the globe’s greatest. But like all such lists at the time, it was the product of a limited few voices and rarely changed. 

This new system provides living, breathing rankings that have the capacity to recalculate in real time. Not only will the LINKS100 be ­constantly updating, it will also show the 10 Hottest and Coldest courses, the courses moving up and down the lists most rapidly at any given moment. 

With more than 500 real golfers already voting for their favorite courses, there have been some changes in the list. For example, courses in danger of falling off the lists include Prairie Club (100 US) and Chambers Bay (100 World). Royal Lytham & St. Annes is just hanging on.

Mid-Am Qualifier: Sherrill Britt and Frank McBrayer of West End shot 71s to tie for third in the Carolinas Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifier held on Pinewild Country Club’s Holly Course.

Lionel Sutton of LaGrange was medalist with 68, followed by Kevin Kemp of Greensboro. Twenty-four players advanced, including Marcus Larose of Pinehurst with 76 and Greg Hall of West End with 77.

Sandhills Talk: The radio talk show Sandhills Golf Talk has begun its seventh year on the airwaves in the Sandhills and Piedmont of North Carolina. The 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. show airs on Thursday nights on radio WFJA 105.5 FM in Sanford.

The show will air for the next 18 weeks as the season runs from the Masters through the PGA Championship.

The show features a call-in format with discussions with some of the top names in the golf industry as well as local golf news and the latest in national golf news.

There is also a segment of the show allocated for the latest discussions in golf equipment with an on-air lesson given each night.

Anderson Creek Golf Club Director of Golf Jon Hockaday and Southern Pines Golf Club Director of Golf Doug Thompson are again behind the microphones talking golf and taking call-ins from listeners.

WFJA has a long tradition of airing local and regional sports and is a carrier of UNC and N.C. State football and basketball, NASCAR and high school sports.

The WFJA coverage area includes Lee, Harnett, Moore, Chatham, Cumberland and Wake counties.

CPGA Senior: Rick Lewallen, a professional from Kannapolis, posted back-to-back rounds of 69 for a 138 total to win the overall title in the Carolinas PGA Senior Open held at Old North State Club. Rick Norton of Jacksonville was runner-up with 140.

Don Sweeting of Pinehurst shot 145 to tie for seventh. Amateurs Gary Strickfaden of Southern Pines and Spike Smith of Pinehurst tied for 15th with 150. Strickfaden won the Amateurs 63 & up Division.

Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame member Larry Boswell of Jamestown shot 67-71—138 to win the Super Senior title.

eGolf: Seamus Power of Ireland shot 16-under-par 200 to earn his first win and a $15,000 check in the eGolf Tour event held at River Run Golf Club in Davidson.

Cam Burke of Canada was second at14 under.

Dunes Club: The Dunes Golf and Beach Club has been voted the top golf course in the Grand Strand region for 2012 by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel. The Dunes also earned the top honor for the region from the panel for the last rankings period in 2010.

CGA One-Day: Jim and Dee McMahon of Pinehurst shot 86 (net 69) to finish seventh in the mixed/women’s division of Carolinas Golf Association’s One-Day Four-Ball event held at The Hasentree Club in Wake Forest. Katherine Devore of High Point and Betty Zvarich of Fayetteville won the division with 73 (net 67).

Hugh Beckwith and Tim Copper of West End shot 72 to tie for fifth in the men’s A division. Dupont Kirven and Greg Greeson of Greensboro won the flight with 68. Tony Robinson of Southern Pines and Steve Campbell of Campbell shot 84.

Senior Am Tour: Bill Long of Ahoskie shot 72 to win the Championship flight of the Senior Amateur Tour event held at Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh. Rick Luzar of Pinehurst tied for second with 75.

Ron Hockensmith of Southern Pines shot 74 to win Flight A and John Henely of Pinehurst shot 82 to tie for fourth in Flight B.

Tony Robinson of Southern Pines won Flight C with 84 and Curtis Gunnarson of Pinehurst tied for fourth with 88.

Golfweek Tour: Five flight winners in the first major of the season held at Bryan Park Golf Club in Greensboro earned berths in the National Finals of the Golfweek Tour to be held in Hilton Head in October. They were Dan Holland of High Point, Mike Meadows of Advance, Terry Newsome of Winston-Salem, Johnny Sears of Fayetteville and Ken White of Greensboro.

Tony Robinson finished tied for fifth in flight C with 90.

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