A birdie on the final hole gives Clear Springs regional golf title.
MONT BELVIEU — Coaches Troy Frederick of Clear Springs and Jeff Bellnap of Kingwood were standing just off the 13th green on Friday in the latter stages of the Region III-6A boys golf tournament. They were discussing the possibility that the two-day event could come down to the final putt to determine a winner between the two evenlymatched high school teams.
“We knew it would be close,” Frederick said. “He said, ‘I think we’re going to have a playoff.’ I’m like, ‘You might be right.’
“I said that would be so much fun because there’s no pressure, it’s just who wins, who goes second, we’re both going to state. That would have been a blast.”
Alex Welch made sure there was no playoff for the team championship at Eagle Pointe Golf Club. The Clear Springs senior drained an 8-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to give the Chargers a one-shot win over Kingwood, 27over par 595 to the Mustangs’ 28-over 596.
“I’ll definitely dwell on this moment for the rest of my life,” Welch said. “It should be a moment of a lifetime for me.”
Down to the wire
For the second straight year, sophomore Damin Strydom of Kingwood won the individual title. Strydom completed the 36 holes at 1-under-par 141 to beat Welch by two shots. Andre Jacobs of Clear Springs was third at 4over 146. Jacob Borrow of Brazoswood came in fourth at 5-over 147.
“Even though we didn’t win, we’re still happy that we’re going to state together and that’s the biggest thing to us,” said Strydom, who had rounds of 70 and 71.
But the drama came down to the final hole, even though Clear Springs, Kingwood and Atascocita had long ensured themselves spots in next month’s state tournament at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown.
On the pivotal final hole, Welch hooked his tee shot way left, but the ball went well past the large trees on the left. Welch had a clear shot to the green and a perfect angle for his approach shot.
Using a 7-iron from 181 yards, Welch took direct aim at the pin and the ball landed just below the hole. After Strydom made his 12-foot putt for bogey, Welch was good on his uphill putt to close out the championship for Clear Springs.
“I knew when Damin made that bogey putt, I had to make it,” said Welch, the District 23-6A individual champion, who at regionals had rounds of 72 and 71. “He definitely put the pressure on me with that. If my putter is rolling well, I’m pretty confident.”
Playing outstanding golf, Welch finished with a pair of birdies to propel the Chargers to a third consecutive trip to the state tournament, to be held May 14 and 15.
Eyes on the final prize
Clear Springs, which trailed Atascocita and Kingwood by two shots entering Friday’s final 18 holes, shot a final-round 8-over-par 292.
“Two years in a row is tough to do, especially against Kingwood,” said Welch, who will play collegiately at Texas A&MCommerce.
Rounding out the squad for Clear Springs is Francois Jacobs, Jacob Hern and Niko Nebout.
The first-place trophy would have looked good being on display at Kingwood High School, but Bellnap is looking at the bigger picture.
“It would have been nice, but the goal here was to come and get through and get back to state,” Bellnap said.