Shields shoots 59 in Alabama
It’s been quite a spring for former LaFayette High School state golf champion P.J. Shields and it’s turning into quite a summer.
After a very successful junior season with the Dalton State College Roadrunners, Shields prepped for last weekend’s Sunny King Charity Classic in Anniston, Ala. by breaking the course record at the Cider Ridge Golf Club in Oxford, Ala. with a 59.
Cider Ridge is one of the three courses that hosted this year’s tournament.
Although the tournament was comprised of two-man teams, playing both best ball and scramble formats, Shields hit the magic number of 59 in a practice round by playing his own ball from the tournament tees. He bettered the previous course mark of 60 by Marcus Harrell.
Shields opened with a birdie before giving the shot back with a bogey on the second hole. However, he would birdie four of the next six holes to go with two pars before chipping in for eagle on the par-5 ninth hole for a frontside 30.
The two-time LaFayette Chicken Dinner champion (2013, 2014) then began his final nine holes of the round with three birdies and picked up three more birdies following a par at No. 13. He had a par at No. 17, but scored a birdie on the par-5 final hole to complete the 59.
In a video available on the Calhoun County (Ala.) Golf Facebook site, Shields said his short game was the key to the round.
“I have to give a big
round of gratitude to my wedges,” he said in an interview. “I hit my wedges really good and just rode the flat stick. I hit (my putter) as well as I’ve hit it in a long time and the (greens) were really rolling good.”
Shields teamed up with another former Chicken Dinner champion, Jaylon Ellison, in the Sunny King Classic. The duo finished third in 2015 and placed second last year.
The ex-Rambler is coming off a solid season at Dalton State. He finished at 5-under par in the Southern States Athletic Conference tournament to place second individually behind teammate S.M. Lee, the NAIA National Player of the Year. Former Dade County High and Georgia Northwestern standout Chase Cole was third and Heritage High alum Ben Rebne tied for fifth.
Dalton State won its third consecutive SSAC title in Montgomery, Ala. by setting a DSC program, 54-hole scoring record at 23-under par (829). They were 11-under (273) as a team on the final day, en route to a 32-shot victory over second place Coastal Georgia. The Roadrunners went on to finish tied for fourth at the NAIA National Championships.
Shields was also a semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus Award, the honor Lee won by being named Player of the Year. Shields finished the season with a 73.78 stroke average and was named a second team NAIA All-American.
Smith wins in South Carolina
The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C. on July 1 to host the Second Annual Stars and Stripes Jr. Classic at the World Tour golf course.
The golfers fought through a windy Saturday to find sun and lower scores on Sunday. Overall, the players had a great weekend competing not only on a regional level, but also against top international players.
And a local name was left standing atop the leaderboard when all was said and done.
Two-time Walker County Boys’ Golfer of the Year and rising LaFayette High senior Gage Smith fought 15-20 mile per hour winds on the 6,525-yard layout to post a 70 on Saturday and followed up with a 71 on Sunday to win the 16-18 age group. He beat out Willis Rogers of Charleston, S.C. by five shots.
It was Smith’s first victory and second top 10 in two HJGT events this season. He teed it up at an event at Bartram Trail Golf Club near Augusta back in May, shooting 77 and 73 to place seventh.