Marshall County 7th in KHSAA Boy’s State Golf Championship

The Marshals finished 7th best in the state at the KHSAA Boy's State Golf Tournament. Pictured (L-R) Coach Keith Bell, Quinn Eaton, Garrett Howell, Jay Nimmo, Grant Hackney and D.J. Pigg. Special thanks to Annette Nimmo for the photos.
The Marshals finished 7th best in the state at the KHSAA Boy’s State Golf Tournament. Pictured (L-R) Coach Keith Bell, Quinn Eaton, Garrett Howell, Jay Nimmo, Grant Hackney and D.J. Pigg.
Special thanks to Annette Nimmo for the photos.

BOWLING GREEN – The Marshall County boy’s golf team finished in a three-way tie for 7th Wednesday in the final round of the KHSAA Boy’s Golf State Championships with a two day total of 619 (305-314). McCracken County also shot 619 (303-316) along with Lexington Christian Academy (303-316).

Senior D.J. Pigg led the Marshals with 4-over 148 in the 36 hole tournament.
Senior D.J. Pigg led the Marshals with 4-over 148 in the 36 hole tournament.

St. Xavier led after the first day at 10-under and added eight more strokes under par on Wednesday to blow the field away with a team state record 19-under 557 (278-279), winning by 37 strokes over second place Franklin County at 18-over 594 (293-301).

After making the top 12 cut Tuesday in 8th place overall, the Marshals teed off of the 10th hole Wednesday with Grant Hackney, Garrett Howell, D.J. Pigg, Jay Nimmo and Quinn Eaton.

“Being on the big stage with the nerves that were flowing on the first day and working through that and making the cut for day two, our goal was to go out there and relax and enjoy ourselves”, Marshals Head Coach Keith Bell said.

Starting the day at 4-over par, Pigg shot an even par 72 on Wednesday to lead the Marshals with a 4-over two-day total of 148 (76-72). After the first six holes, the senior dropped to 1-under par following birdies on holes 13 and 14, playing both the back nine and front nine two strokes better than day one to finish his high school career tied for 23rd in the state tournament.

Eaton dropped to 1-under par after the first three holes after birdies on holes 11 and 12 and through nine holes was 2-over and 4-over for the tournament. He got a stroke back with a birdie on the 1st hole, but struggled through holes 4, 5, 6 and 7 with bogeys that led to a 5-over day and 7-over par for the tournament with 151 (74-77), tied for 32nd.

Nimmo, the second youngest competitor in the state tournament field, began the day 3-over and after a shaky  first nine holes that put him at 7-over for the day, shot 4-over on the front nine to finish the tournament with a 14-over 158 (75-83) tied at 51st.

Howell started the day at 8-over after birdies on his final two holes on Tuesday but had a rough start to his second round with four bogeys and a double-bogey on the way to a round of 12-over and 20-over for the tournament with a two-day total of 164 (80-84), tied for 69th.

Hackney began the day at 12-over, going on to shoot four strokes better on Wednesday finishing at 10-over and 24-over for the tournament with 168 (86-82), tied for 75th.

Bell said the course played tougher on the second day which was harder for some adding that Eaton had a couple of bad breaks later in his round, but overall he was very happy with his whole team and the good round put in by Pigg as well as Hackney finishing with a good second day round, telling his players, “you never know when your score is going to count”.

“Overall this was a great experience and we tried to have a good time, a memorable time and enjoy ourselves”, Bell said.

Franklin County player C.J. Jones beat Lyon County’s Cullan Brown in a four-hole playoff to win with an 8-under 136 (66-70). Brown shot 69-67 for the tournament to finish state runner-up. Both trailed St. Xavier’s Allen Hamilton who led at 7-under after the first day and ended the tournament tied for third with St. X teammate Michael Sass.

Click on photos to view larger image.