St. Aloysius wins division title

Published 11:41 am Wednesday, April 27, 2011

St. Aloysius’ lineup is so loaded with talented golfers that nearly all of them can win — or have already won — a tournament on any given day.

On Tuesday, it was Will Burnett’s turn.

The senior used a little bit of good fortune and a strong finishing kick on the back nine to shoot a 76 and tie for medalist honors with teammate Nick Mekus at the Division 3-1A tournament at Clear Creek Golf Course.

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It was the first high school tournament victory for Burnett, and just the latest in a dominant season for St. Al. Its top four golfers totaled 310 shots, 85 better than second-place Nanih Waiya. West Lincoln, the only other team in the tournament, was third with 458 strokes. Elliott Bexley rounded out the top four.

St. Al’s worst score, an 86 by Fisher Campbell, was still nine shots better than that of anyone from either of the other teams.

St. Al has is a combined 37-0 against other teams in its eight matches this year. Tuesday’s team victory also clinched a spot in the Class 1A state tournament May 9 and 10 at Beau Pré Country Club in Natchez.

“It feels really nice,” Burnett said of his first win. “Our whole team is pretty solid. It’s just whoever plays the best that day. We’ve all really been solid.”

Burnett took advantage of a so-so day from some of his teammates, as well as his own solid play, to get into contention. Chris Ingram, normally the team’s best player, shot 3-under par on the front nine, but went 8-over on the back and finished with a 77. Mekus had 11 pars, but none after the 15th hole and no birdies at all.

“I kind of fell apart. I lost focus,” Mekus said. “I just didn’t think. I stopped thinking about my shots.”

Burnett, meanwhile, picked up a few shots by rolling in a long birdie putt on the 15th hole, and another long putt for par on 18. He also birdied the ninth and sixth holes. He deftly avoided disaster twice on the 16th hole and again on the 18th to save par and finished with seven birdies or pars over his last 10 holes.

“I started really slow. I wasn’t making any putts. On six I tapped in for birdie and got rolling,” Burnett said.

On the par-5 16th hole, Burnett hooked his tee shot left. It bounced off a tree trunk and back onto the fairway. His next shot sliced to the right, into some weeds about 25 yards from the green and just a few feet from the out of bounds marker. He hit out of trouble, knocked his fourth shot onto the green, then drained a short putt for the par.

On the final hole, a par-4, Burnett crushed his tee shot straight down the fairway and only about 30 yards from the front of the green — then airmailed his approach the same distance behind it. He saved the par, though, with a nice chip and 25-foot putt to finish with the 76.

“I made some saves. When I was close to the lead I got a little nervous,” Burnett said “I heard Nick was 2-over. I knew if I hung with it and made pars, maybe Nick would make par or a bogey.”