Local players compete at state level
Plainsmen senior fifinishes 3-over in two-day tournament, Saratoga duo hopes to return
After Saturday’s practice round, it became clear that the golfers who could adjust to the distance and rock-hard greens at Cornell’s Robert Trent Golf Course would have the best chance to be successful at the state golf tournament.
One of those golfers was Shenendehowa senior Kyle Mathews.
Mathews shot a 1-over 72 in the second round after an opening-round 73 of the NYSPHSAA Golf Championship Monday to fifinish second in the state.
The Plainsmen’s top golfer was outdueled by Section V’s Jack Gianniny of Pittsford Sutherland — who shot a 2-under 69 — down the stretch for a two-round winning score of 142.
“(Mathews) didn’t lose it, he was beat by a player who played
really well,” said Shen golf coach Chris Douglas. “I knew he had the physical ability, it’s nice for other people to see he has the whole package. The way he conducted himself he really represented his family (and) the sec-
tion well. I’m really proud of him.”
The greens were some of the hardest Mathews had played on in his life, making approaches more difficult than usual.
“It seems like they haven’t watered the course in about a month,” Mathews said. “That took some getting used to. You just had to play a couple different shots to get on the green.”
Mathews entered Monday’s round in a four-way tie for first place with Gianniny and Pittsford Mendon teammates Will Thomson and Gunnar Doyle.
It didn’t take long for Gianniny to make a move.
The senior birdied three of the first five holes to take a three-shot lead before bogeying the sixth. Mathews finished the front nine with two birdies to stay within striking distance and, after Gianniny bogeyed the par-3 14th, the two were tied with four holes to play.
But Mathews bogeyed the next two holes while Gianniny played even until clinching the victory with a birdie on 18.
“I was in a good spot having a low round after first day,” Mathews said. “I really wanted this win. The kid just outplayed me toward the end of this round.”
The second-place finish means Mathews has not played his last round of high school golf. The Plainsmen senior will get another shot at Gianniny at the Federation Tournament for private and public school players on June 8 at Bethpage Black — the site of the U.S. Open Championship in 2002 and 2009.
Like many New York golfers, cold and snowy weather meant Mathews had to wait longer than usual to get on to course this springs. When he did, the senior spent as much time as possible working on his game to prepare for states.
“Every day I just tried and go to school and to focus on school then after it’s golf time until the sun sets,” he said. “I do that every day of the week.”
Mathews is a Virginia native who finished 14th in that state’s high school tournament before moving to New York as a junior. He decided in February to head back south next fall to enroll at Eckerd College located in St. Petersburg, Fla., and play for the Tritons golf team.
“That’s been the goal for a long time now,” Mathews said of playing golf at the next level. “I just really realized that Florida is where a lot of golf is. I’d say the capital of golf in the U.S. I really wanted to go there.”
Saratoga Springs had two first-time state tournament qualifiers in juniors Chris Thompson and Dan Shepherd. Thompson shot an 86-82-168 to finish in a tie for 55th place while Shepherd went 92-84-176 to take 80th. The state title weekend is something the Blue Streaks duo hope to replicate as seniors next year.
“It was pretty hard to get some low numbers but there were some,” Shepherd said. “That was awesome I would love to do it again next year.”