The signs were clear early in his career that Todd Duncan would one day be one of the elite golfers in the state of West Virginia.
During his high school days at Shady Spring, Duncan won two Class AA individual state golf titles and helped lead the Tigers to the team championship his senior year.
Golf was not the only state championship team that Duncan helped lead to glory while at Shady. He was also a key player on the state champion basketball team that same year.
The summer prior to his high school heroics, Duncan won his second W.Va. Junior Amateur crown and bested a field of 120-plus golfers to win his first Mountain State Golf Classic title.
Last July, Duncan became a two-time champion at the annual Classic shooting 13-under par for the three-day event.
This weekend, the former Tiger standout will look to join elite company when he seeks his third title over the last four years at the tournament that benefits the Senior Friends of Raleigh General.
“To be honest, this weekend is probably my favorite tournament of the summer,” Duncan said. “It’s my favorite just because of the people I play with, the people in the field and the people that run the event. I am really familiar with the golf courses, so it’s just a good time to hang with friends and play some fun golf courses.”
Duncan just completed his second season of college golf playing for West Virginia University and battling a brutal Big 12 schedule.
“This year was miles better than freshman year. The learning experience from freshman year was big and that helped me for my sophomore year,” Duncan said. “I finished off my sophomore season with two straight top-five finishes which was good. Playing really good at our home tournament was really fun too.”
Finishing the season with a scoring average of 74.70, Duncan had eight rounds of par or better and four rounds in the 60’s.
At the Mountaineer Invitational, Duncan was the top finisher for WVU and was the top finisher for the blue and gold at the Gopher Invitational at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, MN.
Duncan picked up wins over Iowa State and Oklahoma in the Big 12 Match Play Championship at Houston Oaks in Hockley, TX. in the fall before playing in his first Big 12 Tournament this past spring at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, KS.
“It was an awesome experience. The guy that won (the Big 12 individual title) was Ludvig Aberg who played for Texas Tech. He has now played in four straight (PGA) Tour events,” Duncan said. “It is really cool to be around guys that know the game and will be the future of the game in the coming years.”
With his junior season just around the corner, Duncan is expecting the Mountaineers to be even better this year.
“We only lost one player and we will be getting three new ones. They are all good, young players. (Head) coach (Sean Covich) is really excited for next year and so am I,” Duncan said. “All the players that come here can play. You really have to bring your A-game all year long to stay in the line-up. Getting more depth in the line-up will be a lot better for the team. It will be good for me individually as well because we will push each other.”
The same scenario will apply this weekend when Duncan seeks his third Mountain State Golf Classic trophy. Playing alongside the reigning champion will be another two-time champion, Davy Jude, Cam Roam and Drew Green.
“The field just keeps getting stronger year in and year out. It will be even more fun this year,” Duncan said. “I think the (winning) score will have to be a little lower this year, just because of who is in the field. I think the number is like 15 (under par) this year. That will be a good number.”
While the winner this year could very well come from Duncan’s group, the field is full of young and talented players that are sure to make a run at the top spot.
“They all can play, so it is not going to be easy to win again. I will have to stick to my game-plan,” Duncan said. “There is a lot of good young players that are familiar with all of the places that we are playing. You will have to play good to win this weekend for sure.”
The tournament opens at Grandview Country Club Saturday before moving to Pipestem State Park this year for round two Sunday. The championship round will be contested Monday on the Cobb Course at The Resort at Glade Springs.
Duncan, Jude, Roam and Green are scheduled to tee-off at 9:20 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
