Valley linkster leaders shade back a bit, but still strong heading into homestretch

On Wednesday, April 20, the Buffalos roamed through the greens of Cove View in Richfield, for a Piute-hosted seven-team tournament with the usual 1A-Region 20 suspects. The boys took second place (363) team honors, one stroke behind Milford (362), notable in part due to Ivan Spencer’s salient slide back from Top 10 individual contention, 14-strokes off the pace with his 95. Cooper Chamberlain gained third place (85), four-strokes away, while Boede Cox (91) tied for ninth, followed by Waylon Spencer (92). Out of team scoring were Hunter Barrick (111) and Zane Monnett (114).

Valley’s Ruth Cox (124) returns following her Valley Forge ‘lay-over’ addresses her game: “I don’t know; it’s been good. Yeah, it was rough, just, like, not golfing for a week or so. But then, it was good today. I struggled putting, but it was just like sand on the green. Anyway, yeah, it’s been going good. We can only go up from here!” Photo by Jerry Melrose.

The girls, as they have all season so far, once again won first-place with a 491, even though senior team-leader Charle Spencer, as with Ivan (no relation), uncharacteristically dropped into fifth place with her 115, eight strokes behind. However, Kaylee Brinkerhoff (119) in sixth, Ruth Cox (124) in ninth, and Rachel Cox (133) took up the slack. Also tallying, were beginners Julia Hoyt (140) and Brittyn Heaton (146). Heaton admits, “It’s fun, but difficult.”

Of the team’s continuing success featuring so many novice competitors, Charle says, “Yeah, it’s awesome! Our newcomers are doing so good. Brittyn and ‘JuJu’ are our newest members, and they are getting so much improvement in their game. And I played with them a couple of days ago and it was so much fun. It’s definitely an ‘experience’ to play with newcomers, ‘cause you have to, like, teach them, and it’s ‘calming’ in a way, to teach them something that you love so much. I just love teaching the new girls.”

Coach Ken Ohman observed, “You know, the girls got first-place. And when you think about where you have five girls who have never played before this year to come up first-place again: that’s just fantastic! The boys: second-place, one stroke out, with some of our betters, you know, not playing up-to-par. This was for the taking today. I think we had a real good day!”

“I’m OK with the way the scores turned-out today,” began Coach Jeremy Chamberlain’s assessment of the team’s future. “We’re still missing Hunter (Cox), who is one of our top three guys. So, to be one-stroke back doesn’t bother me too much. You know, it’s always fun to win one of these tournaments, but we really are focused on winning the state championship.

Bull-riding junior, Zane Monnett (113), contemplates his more genteel endeavor: “Today was a bit of a rough day. You know, in golf you’re going to have those really good days. Unfortunately, those really bad days come. And I guess it wasn’t a really bad day, but it wasn’t the best. But I’ve been doing pretty good, and I’m improving a lot since freshman year when I started. And so, you know, I’m feeling a little bit more comfortable on the course and at tournaments. I’m feeling a little bit more myself. So, it’s easier to keep under control and be able to play good.” Photo by Jerry Melrose.

“It makes me happy to see Coop playing good golf again. We played a lot of golf over Spring Break (in Puerto Rico). And I think he’s dialing it in. Obviously, Ivan is a big part of our team, also. I think he’ll respond, Tiger (Wood) has bad days! Ivan had a bad day today; so, I’m not worried.”

“Hunter will be back for State, for sure. You know, we’ve got Region back here (Richfield, on May 4) two weeks from today; so, I hope he’s back for that. And then, we’ve got a week off, and then State (May 17-18 in Salt Lake). So, we’re actually a month away from the state tournament. I think we’re alright.”