Gallery by Heather Belcher
Daniels – As the regional golf tournament approaches, Woodrow Wilson, Oak Hill, and Greenbrier East have battled neck and neck over the past couple of weeks.
Monday at Glade Springs, the Region 3 rivals clashed once again on the famed Cobb Course, but this time around it was the Flying Eagles that took home a convincing win.
On the par-36 layout, Woodrow Wilson tallied a three-person team score of 120, while Greenbrier East was second at 137 and Oak Hill finished with a total of 140.
Jack Hayes from Oak Hill and Zan Hill from Woodrow Wilson tied for low medalist honors on the day with a round of 38.
For Hayes, it was the sixth straight match where he took home medalist honors.
Starting on hole No. 2, both Hayes and Hill were strong out of the gate with back-to-back birdies before the Cobb Course began to show its teeth a bit.
A couple of errant tee-shots by the Oak Hill standout on No. 8 and then on No. 1 pushed Hayes back to plus-figures on an otherwise solid day.
“I hit the ball pretty well, but my short game and wedges were still a little iffy,” Hayes said. “I think I played pretty good today, but I couldn’t finish the round very well. This is a tough course for sure, but I feel like I handled it pretty well.”
Hill’s main trouble came on hole No. 5 where an errant approach shot found the water, resulting in a double bogey.
“The course was in really great shape today and the greens were really nice. I got off to a hot start, but I felt like I just hung in there all day,” Hill said. “I didn’t feel like I did anything really good, I just got it around the course.”
At a moment where his round could have ballooned into something bad, the savvy senior remained in the moment.
“You just have to stay in a good mental state in that situation and you have to bounce back,” Hill said. “You have to remember that your team needs you and you have to pull yourself together at that point.”
Woodrow Wilson also received strong play Monday from Jonah Wilson who carded a 39 and Tucker Lambert with 43.
Playing alongside Hill and Hayes was Greenbrier East’s top golfer, Zach Patton. Unfortunately for Patton, who shot 40 on the day, his round became an uphill battle on the very first hole.
“I have been playing pretty good all year and I I have been really consistent. I just never really got started today. I hit a good shot in there and then I would three-putt,” Patton said. “The one bad shot I would hit, then I wouldn’t get up-and-down. But it was a lot of fun out here today and it is always fun to play with those guys.”
The upcoming Region 3 golf tournament is slated for Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Berry Hills Country Club in Charleston.
Team: Woodrow Wilson 120, Greenbrier East 137, Oak Hill 140
Low medalist: Jack Hayes (OH) 38, Zan Hill (WW) 38
WW: Hayes 38, Jonak Wilson 39, Tucker Lambert 43, Iam Thompson 47, Alley Denny 51
GE: Zack Patton 40, Ryan Meadows 48, Evan Vaughn 49, Danny Easton 54, Felding Foster 56, Jake Rashau 39
OH: Hayes 38, Zane Wolfe 51, Ian Maynor 51, Lucas Reed 68, Jacob Fitzwater 64
