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Nothing Weeks in that finish
Bassett's Weeks wins Martinsville and Henry County Juniors
Tyler Weeks hits his second shot on the 14th hole Thurday at Chatmoss Country Club. Weeks parred the hole. (Bulletin photo by Mark Thompson)
Friday, June 15, 2012
By MARK THOMPSON - Bulletin Sports Writer
On the par-3 15th, Tyler Weeks left himself about six feet short on a 35-foot putt for birdie. While walking up to his ball, he gave his putter’s head a whack with his hand, as if it was the putter’s fault.
Then again, it’s tough to disagree with him considering the way Weeks putted in the final round of the Martinsville and Henry County Juniors golf tournament at Chatmoss Country Club.
Behind his putter, Weeks shot a 3-under-par 69 to win the Boys 15-18 division and overall titleat the tournament with a three-day score of 216.
“On these greens, I just feel really confident, because they roll so true,” Weeks said. “So I have a lot of confidence coming out here… I made a lot of good putts today.”
Weeks out-dueled Wes Smith on Thursday after Smith’s second-day 72 put him within a stroke of Weeks.
Smith shot a 74, which fell about four strokes short of where he hoped to shoot.
“I knew I had to go low today, because Tyler is such a good golfer,” Smith said. “I figured I needed something around 70 or 71 to compete with him. He got out to one, and he birdies right off the start at one.”
Weeks didn’t stop there, either. The recent graduate of Bassett High School went on to shoot a 33 on the front nine, and was five-under par heading into the final three holes.
Weeks bogeyed the par-5 16th hole after he accidentally tapped a 3-inch putt with his putter while preparing to tap it in.
Weeks also bogeyed the 18th hole after giving himself a difficult lie off the tee box and missing the green from the rough. Those were his only two bogeys in the round.
It didn’t matter, though.
Weeks’ lead was so large, he could have double-bogeyed each of his last three holes and still would have won by two strokes.
The win was especially satiating since he missed last year’s tournament with a broken right wrist.
“Last year would have been a nice year to compete,” Weeks said. “I’m glad I got to come out this year for my final time.”
Ria Farley carded a 98 to win the Girls 14-18 division with a three-day total score of 288.
Farley thought she handled Thursday’s round, and the longest track of the three courses, well.
“I felt really good,” Farley said. “I started the back off with a birdie, and then I bogeyed, so that was good. I was happy with that.”
One of the day’s other top performers was Basil Boyd in the Boys 13-14 division. Boyd carried a five-stroke lead into Thursday’s final round, but blew it open with a final-round 78 at Chatmoss.
And considering Boyd shot double-par on the par-4 fifth hole, he was certainly content.
“Take that away, and the 78 quickly shrinks,” he said. “I’m very pleased with myself. There was some good competition, and I feel like I played well.”
Jordan Hering shot a 57 to win the Boys 10 & Under division with a three-day total of 166, while Spencer Hodges jumped a spot in the same division’s standings after shooting a 57 of his own.
In the Boys 11-12 division, Woodson Smith picked up his second consecutive win at the Martinsville and Henry County Juniors golf tournament. Smith shot a 49, his highest score of the tournament.
“I was hitting the ball solid, but it didn’t really turn out that well,” Smith said. “I was fortunate that I didn’t shoot any worse than I did today and that I ended up winning.”
The Girls 10 & Under division and the Girls 11-12 division each had one golfer representing them, but each put together similar rounds to their first two days.
In the Girls 11-12 division, Aleigha Hodges carded a 70 to finish with an overall score of 198, while Sydney Witcher in the Girls 10 & Under division shot her best round of the tournament with a 59.
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