Schoppe shoots 89 at golf sectionals, does not advance

A slow start Wednesday cost Rhinelander High School senior Sam Schoppe the opportunity to have two more rounds to finish off his high school golf career. 

    Schoppe
  

Schoppe carded a 17-over 89 and tied for 34th in a WIAA Division 1 sectional at Greenwood Hills Country Club in Wausau. Schoppe was gunning for his second trip to the WIAA state golf tournament in three years, but fell well short of the state cutline of 77 — which went to the top three players in the sectional not already on a state-qualifying team.

Things were tough from the jump for Schoppe, who made eight bogeys and a double as part of an opening-nine 46. After another bogey on 10 he finally made his first par of the day on the par-3 11th hole. He finished with three more pars, two bogeys and two doubles to shoot 43 on the back. 

“It is what it is. Like, you have a bad day. It wasn’t like one thing. It was a lot of things,” Hodag coach Adam Schmidt said. “He really struggled with the hook. Just kept hooking it, kept hooking it. He just didn’t strike the ball. Like, the day before (in) the practice round, he struck the ball so well. He had it really had it kind of dialed in and he kind of fought that hook all day. And the front nine, it was really hard to get off the tee.”

Schmidt said Schoppe played two practice rounds at Greenwood Hills, one late last week and another on the eve of the sectional. Neither quite simulated how the course played in tournament conditions. Though the Wausau area received plenty of rainfall between the time Schoppe finished his practice round on Tuesday and the time he teed it up in competition on Wednesday, Schmidt said both he and Schoppe were taken aback by how much faster the greens played Wednesday.

“Yesterday was the greens were quick, but they were not like unreasonably fast,” Schmidt said. “They had to have like cut them and rolled them this morning because they were like stupid fast. Some of the putts, you’d play like these big breakers and today they were like, they were halfway through, they just pick up speed.”

As it turned out Schoppe would have needed a low number to make it to state. Hudson’s Drake Card, who was 3-under through 10 holes, came back in 39 to finish at 1-over 73 and take medalist honors by a stroke over three player, including the first individual qualifier — Russell Harder of Wausau West. Ryan Swanson of River Falls to the second spot with a 76 and Ryan Pettingill of Superior claimed the last individual qualifying spot, shooting 77 to finish alone in eighth.

“In order for Sam to go, Sam would have had to shoot one of the better rounds he’s ever shot,” Schmidt said. “All those kids knew it. In order to go, they had to shoot (low). You know, I was actually surprised by 77 going.”

Though it ended short of state, Schmidt said he was proud of Schoppe’s three-year career with the RHS golf team and what he and fellow senior Brody Kowieski both meant to the varsity team.

“I really enjoyed him on the team. He shot a lot of good rounds. It would have been nice to get to state to have some redemption, but you know it is what it is. Today wasn’t his day,” Schmidt said. “Brody is such a nice young man. It’s always nice having him on a team. Sam was a good guy. They were really helpful and they both are both are very caring young men. They’re really nice, polite men, and we’re brought up right. So I thank them for the time that we had with them.”

The round put a bow on the RHS golf season. The Hodags finished fifth in a competitive Great Northern Conference but are slated to bring back four players who saw multiple varsity rounds next year. 

“We should have a good team coming back,” Schmidt said. “Hopefully we can pick up a couple freshmen, another freshman. Having Grant (Gremban) this year was awesome. Hopefully we can pick up another freshman like Grant, we’ll be definitely competitive again.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].