There was a time when Caleb Westmoreland”s game would have blown away in conditions like the ones players faced Tuesday at Columbus Country Club.
A double bogey on No. 8 and another on No. 9 had the Heritage Academy senior golfer at 5-over and reeling as he searched for ways to regroup on the back nine.
Wind gusts of 20-25 mph didn”t help settle Westmoreland”s mind.
But Westmoreland didn”t allow his score on the first nine holes to rattle him. Instead, he re-focused and closed the round with a 34 to finish with a 75 that helped him earn medalist honors in the seven-team event in Columbus.
“There were pins on ridges, back behind bunkers and pins you really couldn”t shoot for today,” Westmoreland said. “That”s why the scores were high today. I was very pleased with the way I played today.”
Heritage Academy shot a season-low 324 that still was good enough to take the team title over Magnolia Heights (331).
Cade Lott”s 79 for the Patriots was one of three other scores in the 70s. J.R. Wright (84), Evan McElrath (86), Konrad Vernon (86), and Hunter Anderson (94) also played as part of the team for the Patriots, who won their fifth tournament of the season.
Doug Kilarski (99), Mark Adams (85), and Luke Ellison (111) played as individuals for Heritage Academy.
Heritage Academy coach Ed Lott said after the tournament he thought he had set up a tough course. With tees moved back and rolled greens, windy conditions added to the difficulty, but Lott was pleased to see his players adjust as much as they could to earn the victory. He also said Westmoreland”s performance showed how much he has matured.
“Today was one of those days that hitting into the wind might have been a two-club difference,” Lott said. “It might have been a two-club difference from the tee box I put them on. Overall, not only did they have to adjust to the conditions, I made them play different tee boxes than they were accustomed to.
“(Caleb) shot 41 and 34, and to shoot 2-under on the flat side, where it is open and the wind blows more is a great score, especially after shooting 41 on the front nine. In the past, he might have shot 41-41 and had a bad score, but he is a senior, he is a leader, and he has been medalist at a couple of tournaments. He has been around par and he knows when he is over par what it takes to try to get it back to even par.”
The conditions virtually wiped out the changes Lott made to the course and tee boxes that were designed to give Heritage Academy a “home-course advantage.” Westmoreland said the Patriots would have had a huge edge without the wind. But the gusty conditions forced players to change distances and the way they played nearly every shot.
Westmoreland grabbed blades of grass periodically through the day to gauge the wind, but he said he tried to play back in his stance and to hit low shots. The strategy served him well because he said he typically is a low hitter.
“I was throwing up grass every shot,” Westmoreland said. “It didn”t matter where it was. Like on No. 1, I hit it left on the trap and the wind was blowing straight out of bounds. I had to aim left and to hit a low, running cut just because of the wind. It changes the whole golf course.”
Chase Taylor”s 77 paced New Hope, which shot a 335. Austin Fitch (81), Chaz Robinson (89), Zack Graves (88), Jamie Merchant (107), and T.J. Menotti (108) also played for the Trojans.
Korn Simsiriwong paced Starkville Academy (345) with an 80. Day Silawanna (80), Wyatt Allen (97), Alex Bedwell (83), Harrison McBride (102), and John Kyle Hewlett (88) also played as part of the Volunteers” team. Landon Scrivner shot a 108 playing as an individual.
Chase Nash (82) paced Oak Hill Academy, which shot a 341. Brady Hindman (83), Blake Henley (85), Clay Henley (91), Josh Guest (127), and Megan Fair (137) also played for the Raiders.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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