Chiefs lose second match in a week.

The Chamberlain High Golf team traveled to Summerfield Crossings Country Club http://www.summerfieldgc.com/ for the second match of the year--a two school match against Riverview High. The team had never seen this course before, but were very impressed with the beauty and difficulty playing the back tees of some 3400 yards. In the first tournament the boys were somewhat errant with tee shots so today Coach required a three wood off the first hole which was a long par four. Gary missed the first green with a fairway wood, threw a high lob from deep rough to six feet and made a par saying, "The coach's strategy worked!" However, the team lost to Riverview High School by a whopping seventeen shots! Gary, however, was the tournament medalist with an even par score of 35. He had it one under par through hole five, but bogied hole six and then parred out for the even par 35. Riverview star Ian McConnell was one shot back. Gary describes the course as a links type with pot bunkers and a beautiful island green which he was proud to par. Skyler Estes was second for the Chiefs followed by Trevor Joseph, Justin McCormick, and Bryce Veller. Next week Brett Blair, recovering from surgery, should be back to help the team.

Chamberlain High School Match 1.

The Chiefs played their first high school match of 2008 playing a home match against Jesuit High School and King High at the Babe Zaharias Golf Course. King High won the match with Chamberlain finishing second. Sophomore Skyler Estes lead the Chiefs with an even par score of 35. Gary finished fourth in the tournament and second on the team shooting a 38. Also playing for Chamberlain were freshman Trevor Joseph, Justin McCormick, and Bryce Veller. One of last years stalwarts, sophomore Brett Blair, is out recovering from surgery but due back in play in a week.

Second at Belleair Country Club Junior

Gary came in second at the prestigious Belleair Country Club Junior in Clearwater, Florida, two strokes behind the winner Dustin Dingus. Belleair is a Donald Ross design and the oldest club in Florida. You can read more about this club at the following URL: http://www.belleaircc.com/

I don't have all the details at this time but he did have the lead through the middle of the round, but made a triple on the 14th hole which included a penalty stroke shooting a final round 75. The field included many of the highest ranking players in the central Florida area.

High School golf starts this week with the first nine hole match at the Babe Zaharias Memorial Golf Course in Tampa. "The Babe" is the most famous American female athlete and was one of the founders of the LPGA. http://www.babezahariasgc.com/course/default.asp?SD=29DA3680-3EC8-4C26-898C-5DC15282CF2D&TM=163

Tenth at the Ryan Wells Memorial at Innisbrook

August 16-17, 2008: Playing 6600 yards on two courses at Innisbrook Resort, Gary finished tied for tenth at the Ryan Wells Memorial Tournament at the Island and the North Courses. The tournament is put on by the Ryan Wells Foundation in memory of a young man who was killed in a tragic accident. The awards ceremony was a touching event as Mr. Wells, Ryan's father presented all awards: http://ryanwellsfoundation.com/events.html

The first day was on the Island Course with a rating of 76 and a slope of 141 thus being the toughest course most people ever heard of. On the first day Gary was playing well and conservatively when he put a ball in position on the seventh hole a par five and then came a major downpour. Although no one was playing, he put on the rain suit and hit the second shot into a pond. Bill Newton and I were in the gallery about 75 yards away and we could barely see him in the rain and never did see the ball! He proceeded to take a double bogie and two others to shoot 80. Lee McCoy, a fellow competitor in the Tampa area for eight years shot a great score of 75 to take the lead. On day two Gary thought being four back was not out of the tournament and then proceeded to hit his first shot of the day (a four iron layup on a short par four, ie. a birdie hole) deep into a swamp with the alligators. He took a penalty drop about 170 yards out and in ankle deep Bermuda rough. He hit a great shot (probably an eight iron) out of the rough over the flag to the fringe about 20 feet from the flag and missed the putt-chip for a bogie 5. His fellow competitor Dustin Dingus birdied the hole and within six holes Gary had made three more bogies to go four over and Dustin made two more birdies to go three under for a seven shot difference. It didn't look good. However, by the 16th hole Gary had birdied two holes and parred all the rest to get to two over for the day. The last hole (number five) is a birdie hole with an island green, but Gary hit his tee shot behind a tree and had to punch out. He then hit a great wedge to eight feet, but missed the par put to shoot three over 73 and lose to Dustin by one shot on the day. It was a nice comeback, but not enough as tenth place was "out of the money." So we went home empty handed. Lee McCoy shot a 72 and won the tournament--some fine golf on tough courses.

Here are the official results:
http://golf.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=golf&cdn=sports&tm=41&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.juniorgolfscoreboard.com/

Gary Wins NSJGA Tournament of Champions

Today Gary won the North Suncoast Junior Golf Association Tournament of Champions at the Nationally famous World Woods course near Brooksville, Florida. He shot a 71 yesterday and said he "could have or perhaps should have birdied all of the first seven holes." He lead the T of C by 4 shots. Today he played 2 under par until lightning stopped play after eight holes. The tournament then had to be canceled for weather and he was declared the winner at overall three under par. Today's highlights included one birdie and one bogey and one eagle on a 511 yard par 5 (driver, seven wood, long putt). The putter really kept him in the hunt as he two-putted from monstrous lengths all day.The final results are at the following site: http://www.worldwoods.com/fw/main/Results_Page-318.html

Next up is a two day tournament on Saturday and Sunday of this week at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida. The following is a press clipping from Innisbrook:

Ryan Wells Memorial Junior Classic
August 16-17: Highlands North & Highlands South courses. This 36 hole tournament annually attracts all of Tampa Bay’s top junior players. The event is a kick-off to the school year and the high school season.

Then on Monday Gary returns to school (tenth grade) at Chamberlain High School in downtown Tampa. Woody Austin of the PGA tour is a graduate of Chamberlain and has all the course records at the Babe Didrickson Golf Course which is the school's home course. Woody's Mom still works in the grill at the course.

Tampa Team Comes Third at State Team Championships at Disney World

The Florida State Golf Association held the Junior Team Championship at Disney World. Gary's team came in third although only the top two teams are mentioned in the FSGA writeup at the following website: http://www.floridajuniortour.org/docs/news/showNews.asp?sID=817 Check out the Greater Tampa Junior Golf Association web site for a report of the team competition at Disney World. Gary, Skyler, and Conner won spots to represent Greater Tampa at the GTJGA Tournament of Champions last month. Gary said it was an interesting tournament as Disney visitors in buses on the road and people in canal boats shouted out and waved to the players on the course--sometimes in the middle of a swing! There were also fake Disney Theme buildings along the edges of the course.
http://www.gtjga.com/exec/results/

NSJGA Seven Rivers

Gary shot 74 for two over and finished second by one stroke. He boggied 5, 6 and doubled 7 and then played the next 11 holes in two under par. But it was not enough to beat local favorite Brad Kidd who shot 73 to win. There were some fans at the event who made it fun rooting for all of the players but mostly for Brad. Gary said it was nice he won on his home course. Here are the results: http://www.worldwoods.com/fw/main/RESULTS_7_RIVERS-583.html

On August 11-12 he will play in the NSJGA Tournament of Champions at the World Woods Resort. World Woods has two top 100 golf courses both designed by Tom Fazio and has been voted as the best practice facility "in the world." Check it out at the following link:
http://www.worldwoods.com/fw/main/Home-1.html

Here is the link to the NSJGA:
http://www.worldwoods.com/fw/main/NSJGA_Junior_Golf-17.html