By Lee Davis
After a three-year dry spell, the Mountain Brook boys’ golf team found an oasis at the Class 7A championships at the Magnolia Grove Falls Course in Mobile last week.
The Spartans shot a two-day total of 10-over-par 587 on the par-71 course to claim their first state title since 2011. Mountain Brook won by 19 strokes over second-place Fairhope, which shot 606. Vestavia Hills finished third with a total of 622.
Mountain Brook coach Benny Eaves said intangibles were the key to his team’s success.
“Our guys had unbelievable chemistry,” Eaves said. “There were absolutely no egos and no expectation for any one player to deliver a special performance for each round. This mindset allowed everyone to play with no fear or expectations. We could focus on the moment and not end results.”
Jonathan Eyster led Mountain Brook with a tie for second place in medal competition. He fired a two-day total of two-under-par 140. The Spartans’ Harlan Winn tied for fifth by shooting a five-over-par 147. Teammate Ben Fuller was seventh with a six-over-par 148, and Michael Brown finished 10th, shooting 152 for the tournament.
Fuller’s three consecutive birdies on the last three holes of the final day on the way to a one-under-par 70 nailed down the championship for Mountain Brook.
“Jonathan has been our most consistent player this season,” Eaves said. “Harlan, Ben and Michael have all been terrific as well. Wilson Simmons played a big role for us in the section and sub-state tournaments. This was a special group. Taking the state 7A title was the icing on the cake.”
Spain Park’s Patrick Martin dominated medal play, winning the individual title with sizzling rounds of 68-65 to finish at nine-under-par 133. His score tied an Alabama High School Athletic Association record for lowest two-day total. He will play at Vanderbilt University next fall.
“This was a nice way to go out,” Martin said. “It will give me some confidence and momentum going into the summer.”
Martin said he had never seen Magnolia Grove before coming to Mobile the day before the tournament.
“My dad and I came down on Sunday and took a look at the course,” he said. “It helped me avoid any trouble areas on the course.”
Control of the ball is a good way to stay out of trouble in golf. Martin missed only four fairways in the entire state tournament.
The strong opening round gave Martin confidence for the second day.
“After shooting a 68, I was hitting the ball solidly,” he said. “So I felt good going into the last round.”
Martin said he’d love to play Magnolia Grove again.
“It is a beautiful course, but what I liked best was the fact that I played well there,” he said.
The other local top 10 finish belonged to Vestavia’s Chris Hughes, who finished ninth with a score of 150.
Hoover’s Lady Bucs earned their second consecutive state championship, winning Class 6A-7A with a two-day combination of 13-over-par 445 on the par-72 Magnolia Grove Crossings course, defeating runner-up Huntsville by six shots.
Mychael O’Berry paced the champs with a two-day total of even-par 144, which put her in a fourth-place tie with Spain Park’s Caroline Waldrop. Hoover’s Julie Baker tied for sixth with a one-over-par 145.
“It was a good all-around performance for us,” Buc coach Lori Elgin said. “Our girls put together solid rounds, and it was good enough to get the win.”
Elgin knows a little about what it takes to win a state championship. She also coached the Lady Bucs’ basketball team to a title in 2001.
“It’s all about the girls,” she said. “If a coach gets a talented group that comes in and works hard, good things can happen. That’s true regardless of the sport.” ϖ