Enthusiasts often joke that it never rains on the golf course.
With heavy rain and thunderstorms in the forecast Tuesday afternoon, ironically enough, not a drop of precipitation fell on The Resort at Glade Springs.
Taking advantage of the near perfect conditions were host Shady Spring, along with Beckley, Summers County and Liberty who battled in a nine-hole match on the famed Cobb Course.
Playing on their home track, the Tigers looked, well, very much at home.
Led by a one-under par round of 35 from Cooper Ward and rounds of 37 from Tyler Beard and Jack Williams, Shady Spring topped second-place Beckley by nine shots.
“Everything was really good today,” Ward said. “I just messed up a couple of putts, like on No. 2 which was my last hole of the (match). I three-putted from like 30 feet.”
Starting his nine-hole round on the par-3 third hole, Ward was not quite sure how his day would go once his tee shot put him in a little trouble on the opening swing.
“I started off my round with a bogey, so I wasn’t sure how it was going to go,” Ward said. “I went long in the bunker.”
The young sophomore quickly turned his day around with three straight birdies on holes four, five and six, however. A bogey on hole seven was equalized with a birdie at number eight before he bogeyed his final hole.
“I am happy about my round because last year over 18 holes I didn’t break 94,” Ward said. “It was a little rough yesterday at The Greenbrier, I shot a 46 there. Today was a nice bounce-back.”
Beard’s round also got off to a tough start, going four over par through the first four holes. Also just a sophomore, Beard covered the next five holes in three-under par.
Mostly noted for his basketball play, Williams has taken to golf like a moth to a flame.
“I love golf and I love basketball, but they are both my favorites,” Williams said, smiling.
After an injury sidelined Williams during his freshman basketball season, golf filled the gap while he was making his way back to the hardwood.
Now a junior and having played golf for just over a year now, Williams shot 38 Monday at The Greenbrier prior to his 37 Tuesday. Williams talked about the improvement in his game this year.
“I have toned up my short game a little bit. I was driver, iron, three-putt just about every hole guy last year,” Williams said, laughing. “After starting off the year pretty bad, it is definitely great to be playing much better. I am looking forward to some of the big tournaments.”
Flying Eagles senior standout Jonah Willson also carded a one-under par round to tie Ward for low medalist of the day. After missing a couple of weeks with an injury, Willson was solid in his return to competitive golf.
“I struggled on the putting today, but I was hitting the ball really well,” Willson said. “I have been working on my wedges and it really helped. I had a lot of close ones, but just couldn’t covert on a few. Other than that it was a pretty good round. I just left a lot out there with my putting I thought.”
While shooting 35 was far from disappointing, like all good golfers, Willson could not help but lament what could have been,
“On No. 1 I missed about a five-footer up the hill because I powered it through (the break),” Willson said. “I birdied holes two and five, but I lipped out for eagle on both of them from the fairway. I thought I made one of them.”
After getting off to a rough start in the first four holes, Ian Thompson played the final five holes at 1-under par for a solid round of 41 for Beckley. Tyler Stover followed Thompson with a 42.
Willson, Thompson and Stover combined to shoot Beckley’s best team score of the season.
Sean Cooper also carded a 37 to lead the Bobcats who finished third. Cooper was followed by Xavier Honaker (42) and Christian Dillon (42).
Joshua Lafferty shot the low round for the Raiders with a 45.
Team results:
Shady Spring 109, Beckley 118, Summers County 120, Liberty 146
Individual results:
SS: Cooper Ward 35, Tyler Beard 37, Jack Williams 37, Ian Crouse 41, Nate Richmond 42, Landri Flohr 49, Jack Tabit, 49.
B: Jonah Willson 35, Ian Thompson 41, Tyler Stover 42, Chase Tolliver 45, Allie Denny 46, Blake Nixon 48.
SC: Sean Cooper 37, Xavier Honaker 40, Christian Dillon 42, Brian Cooper 43, Marshall Legg 48.
L: Joshua Lafferty 45, Landon Hall 45, Maggie Asbury 54
