Rockhurst golf team takes Class 4 title

SPRINGFIELD | There wasn’t nearly the drama this time around for the Rockhurst golf team.

The Hawklets won their second straight Missouri Class 4 state title on Tuesday at Rivercut Golf Course. Behind a solid four scores on both days, Rockhurst methodically won its 10th state title in team history.

Rockhurst shot a two-day total of 593, easily winning the team title by 23 strokes ahead of second-place Chaminade.

“I think having such good scores just speaks to the depth of the team,” senior Mike McGee said. “That’s something we really pride ourselves on. When you know you have some consistently good scorers behind you, it takes a lot of pressure off.”

With no true standouts — or a team full of standouts — the Hawklets didn’t register a score higher than 77 on their team score in either round.

McGee, who tied for the Class 4 individual title, led the team, which included Matt Ledom, who finished third, David Best, who finished 10th, John Geha, who finished 14th, and Bobby Thompson, who shot a 77 on the opening day.

“A lot of times you look at a team and think they didn’t quite finish the way they deserved to,” Rockhurst coach Mike O’Leary said. “This team deserved what they got. They’re one of the best teams I’ve ever coached.”

For McGee, who is headed to Indiana next season, a strong finish helped him secure the first individual title for Rockhurst since 1993.

After saving par with a long putt on the 14th hole, McGee used that momentum to shoot birdies on three of the last four holes.

“There were a lot of in-between yardage shots,” McGee said. “That made my round pretty rough; it was a grind.”

McGee shot a 72 Tuesday and finished with a two-round total of 145, tied with Taylor Cox of Columbia Hickman.

Christopher Reinert of Park Hill South finished in a tie for 11th and was the top Kansas City finisher at the tournament not from Rockhurst. The Panthers finished eighth as a team.

Zech finishes firstKearney sophomore Ryan Zech has many talents on the golf course, and in his coach’s opinion, course-management skills may be one of his best.

Zech, who shot an opening-round 66, cruised to a Missouri Class 3 individual title at Fremont Hills Country Club in Nixa.

He followed the 66 on Monday with a 73 on Tuesday, rolling to an 8-stroke victory. That margin of victory was the biggest in any class since the 1954-55 season. Zech also became the first individual golf champion from Kearney.

The Bulldogs shot a 313 as a team on Tuesday, but couldn’t overcome a strong round by Warrensburg, which won by 2 strokes. Warrensburg was led by Ryan Marks, an Iowa signee, who shot a 68 Tuesday and finished second at 147.

Pembroke Hill finished fourth.

Lewis fourth in Class 2Hunter Lewis of Lawson finished fourth at the Missouri Class 2 state tournament at the Sedalia Country Club.

Lewis finished 5 strokes off the pace, while Richmond’s Blaine Broderick finished in a tie for eighth.

Lee’s Summit Community Christian was ninth as a team.

submitted by COLE YOUNG - 2009-05-20 00:11:01

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