Rosewood places 2nd in Carolina 1A golf meet

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on March 17, 2015 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

When Rosewood's top three golfers -- all juniors -- walked up to the 18th tee, each one talked to head coach Rick Grantham about their struggles on the course.

Grantham told each one to put their past struggles behind them and focus on the next shot. But when the fourth Rosewood golfer, freshman Andrew Ingram rolled around to the 18th, Grantham didn't need to say a word.

Ingram had just finished a rough hole. He walked right past his coach and knocked his drive right down the middle of the fairway.

"He's going to be a great golfer," Grantham said. "He just has the mental side down so well already. He only focuses on the next shot."

On a day where the top golfers posted higher scores than usual, Ingram shot a career-best 93 during a Carolina 1-A Conference meet at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course on Monday.

"The mental side of this game is really important," Ingram said. "You can't let the last shot get to you, you just have to keep moving on to the next shot. I feel like I did that pretty well."

Ingram's 93 was third for the Eagles, who failed to win a conference match for the first time in four years. Dylan Greene and Dylan Champion each carded 88's while Jeremy Mercer had a 98 -- a score he called his career worst.

Lakewood won the match with a final score of 360, and Rosewood finished second with a 364. Princeton finished in third with a 391.

"Putting was the biggest thing for me," Mercer said of his rough outing. "The greens were really tough to read and I couldn't get the speed. Every other part of my game was solid, it just goes to show that putting can make you or break you."

Champion echoed his teammate's sentiment.

"Putting was brutal," he said.

Cole Pridgen of James Kenan was the individual medalist with a 74. North Duplin's lone golfer, Hunter Brock, finished second with a 78. Lakewood's Griffin Faircloth had an 80.

Ingram wasn't the only better who had a better day than normal. Princeton golfer Spencer Woodard walked up the stairs after his round and was greeted by coach Jeremy Joyner.

"How did you do?" Joyner asked.

"I did OK," Woodard responded.

"Did you break 90?" Joyner inquired.

"Yeah. OK I did really good."

Woodard carded his career-best score of 86.

"I putted really well," Woodard said. "I was able to make some longer putts and hit the ball well."

After the match, Mercer went straight to the practice green to practice on the part of his game that seemed to plague so many. Joyner taught Mercer a different grip to try when putting and he seemed to like it. He was the last person to leave the practice green.

His teammate, Greene, knows that will help them go a long way.

"We have three juniors and three freshman," Greene said. "But we work really hard. I think we're going to be OK this year."