Invitational at MSU brings prep teams from across state
High school golfers from all across the state of Mississippi hit the links at the Mississippi State Golf Course Tuesday to compete and build memories that will last.
Nothing pleases Adam Scott, the Mississippi State Director of PGA Golf Management and the Golf Course, more.
After last year’s MSU Golf Course High School Invitational was canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Scott was hoping to provide an event that young golfers could enjoy.
“For us, it became us being the flag waivers and people carrying the torch for young people getting to play the game,” Scott said. “It’s something for us, not an effort to make any money, but an opportunity to provide as good a golf tournament as we can put together for private and public high schools in Mississippi. I grew up in Alabama where public and private didn’t compete against each other, especially at the state tournament level. We decided this would be an opportunity to pit some of these teams against each other where other matches and competitions wouldn’t.”
Teams from Starkville, Tupelo, Belmont, Oxford, New Albany, Corinth, Madison Central, Jackson Academy, Jackson Prep, Lamar School, Lewisburg, Germantown and Neshoba Central participated in the MSU Golf Course High School Invitational.
Scott said it was only a matter of people telling him “if you have it, we’ll come,” and “if you put on an event, we’ll show up.”
New Albany won the girls championship with a score of 187 and was led by individual champion Caroline King’s score of 84.
On the boys side, Madison Central won the team title with a 292. Belmont’s Karsten Bryan shot a sizzling 65 to claim the individual boys championship.
All of the winners received cowbells as trophies.
The Starkville Yellow Jackets carded a 312 as a team and were led by the 75 from Zach Buntin and Seth Lockhart. Caleb Butler shot an 80, while Watkins Dumas carded an 82 and Cooper Williamson
Watkins Dumas hits a tee shot for Starkville High School at the MSU Golf Course High School Invitational on Tuesday. had an 84.
One day after the Jackets shot a 306 to win the Starkville Academy Tournament, they were able to come up with another good score.
“Not quite as good as (Monday), but still not something we are disappointed in,” SHS boys golf coach Sam Bryant said. “I wanted to see how we did on a course we are familiar with, but not our home course. We are still turning in good scores, but I was kind of wanting to see a little better.”
With the support of sponsors like Chick-fil-a, La Quinta and Taylormade, and with the help of PGA Management students of MSU, Scott consider the high school meet a success.
“(The sponsors) have really allowed us to have an event where we can do it at a low cost,” Scott said. “We have so many PGA Golf Management students out here. We have 10-12 future professionals out here helping score and run the tournament so they learn something. They use it as an opportunity and have never seen a high school event put on like this. I hope that
allows them to take it to their future positions.
“I want people when they think about high school and junior golf, I hope they think of Starkville and hope they think our program. We want all of the kids to want to come play out here. The only way I can think of to thank the pros who took care of me when I was a kid is to continue to take that forward.”