Male golfers from across the First Region gathered at Drake Creek Golf Club in Ledbetter, KY to compete in the First Region boys golf championship. The top two teams and the top 10 individuals outside of those teams advance to the Sub-State round held at Calvert City Country Club on Tuesday, September 26.
The McCracken County Mustangs, with a score of 311, claimed the team title behind four impressive rounds of golf. Landon Hunt led his team with an even par 72, narrowly missing the top individual spot by one stroke.
“To say the word proud is an understatement,” McCracken County head coach Chris Gregory said. “They have worked so hard this year and they’ve had one goal, they wanted to win this and they did.”
Cannon Ford followed with a round of 4-over-par 76, Dallas Vinson shot a 9-over-par 81 and Jack Farmery shot a 10-over-par 82 to round out the qualifying team score. Noah Birney also competed as a Mustang, shooting a 94, but his score doesn’t contribute to the 311 team score.
Joining the Mustangs as the second team to advance was the Marshall County Marshals who shot a combined 315. DJ Morris led the Marshals with a 1-under-par 71 to not only lead his team, but lead the entire field and claim top medalist honors.
“This win means a lot, especially in my senior season,” Morris said. “I haven’t gotten a win in a while and I’ve been waiting for one, so it means a lot.”
Behind Morris was Ryan Stokes who shot a 1-over-par 73, Paxton Carter shot a 13-over-par 85 and Andy Jones shot a 14-over-par 86, while Nolan Hurst shot a 93 outside of the teams 315.
On the individual side of play, the 10 golfers heading as individuals to the Sub-State round comprised athletes from all over the region.
Lyon County’s Travis Perry qualified with an even par 72, St. Mary’s Aiden Hahn and Crittenden County’s Jeremiah Foster each shot a 2-over-par 74, Graves County’s Maddox O’Guinn shot a 4-over-par 76, Paducah Tilghman’s Evan Hack and St. Mary’s Luke Wilson both shot a 6-over-par 78, Christian Fellowships Dawson Hicks shot a 7-over-par 79, Carlisle County’s Zack Grogan shot an 8-over-par 80, Tilghman’s Peyton Toon shot a 9-over-par 81, as did Murray’s Ian Dahncke.
Toon and Dahncke competed in a playoff against Tilghman’s Whitson McNeill who also shot an 81, but missed the cut in the extra hole. The Blue Tornado golfer will be considered an alternate however, in the instance one of the other 10 can’t compete.