May 23, 2018 at 1:01 p.m.
Rhinelander's Twite qualifies for golf sectionals
Rhinelander's Twite qualifies for golf sectionals
The Hodag junior, who narrowly missed qualifying for the sectional round of the WIAA Division 1 golf tournament a year ago, made it this time with room to spare following a steady 6-over-par round of 78 Tuesday at Merrill Golf Club.
That was good enough to tie for fourth in a field of 40, and second best among players who were not on a sectional-qualifying team. The top four players not already qualified for sectionals earned individual invites to next Tuesday's round at Stevens Point Country Club.
"He was hitting the ball really well," Rhinelander coach Adam Schmidt said. "Everything just came together. It's pretty exciting for him to go to sectionals."
As a team, the Hodags finished seventh in the regional with a score of 355 strokes.
Last year, playing on the Hodags' home course at Northwood Golf Club, Twite found himself in a playoff for the final individual sectional spot and lost on the first hole after Wausau East's Michael Lapree sank a long birdie putt.
There was no such drama this year. Twite ended up seven strokes better than the cutline, but Schmidt said neither he nor Twite were leaving anything to chance.
"I told him you've got to stay loose because last year we had that playoff and he didn't make it past the playoff to go to sectionals," Schmidt said. "I told him, 'You've got to stay loose because if we play this off, we want to make sure you're going this year.'"
Twite made sure of that on the course with a round that featured three birdies, nine pars and no double bogeys. He didn't even register a 6 on his card until the 18th as he bogeyed Merrill's par-5 closer.
It was a mixed bag for the rest of the team. Senior Zach Olds made a back nine surge, but could not overcome a sluggish start as he shot 87 and missed a playoff for the final sectional spot by two strokes.
Olds found himself plus-16 with three holes to play, but wedged an approach shot close for a birdie on the par-5 16th. From there, he hit to 20 feet from the hole on the par-3 17th, but missed a side-winding birdie bid. He then pushed a short birdie putt right on the 18th. He settled for par on both holes.
Regardless, Schmidt said he was proud of the way Olds battled down the stretch in his final high school match.
"To go your last three holes 1-under, that's pretty awesome," he said. "I told him I didn't finish my high school career my last three holes at 1-under. He finished the best he could. When I met up with him on 14, he was struggling, pretty bummed up and his attitude changed as soon as I started walking with him. He's got to be proud that he went out with a bang. He left it out on the course those last four holes, definitely proud of him."
Olds was one of three seniors in Tuesday's lineup. Will England shot 94 and Jacob Mahner carded a 96. Sophomore Devon Gaber also shot 96 for the Hodags.
"Everybody else played to the average that they normally would have. Nobody played awesome ... It just is what it is," Schmidt said.
Rhinelander finished 11 strokes behind fourth-place Marshfield for the final team qualifying spot. Stevens Point (328), Wausau West (329) and D.C. Everest (343) were the top three teams. Merrill sophomore Russell Dettmering was the individual medalist with a 1-over par 73, one stroke ahead of Steven Point's Evan Thomas.
For Twite, Tuesday will be his first trip to sectionals. Schmidt said it will be business as usual for him in preparation for the event.
"You just work on a few things. From here on out, the difference between a 72 and a 78 is your mental game and your putting. Your skill is there," Schmidt said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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