Sophomore sparks Gaither golf rally

Gaither's boys golf team may have found a closer to go along with its ace.

 

Sophomore Clyde Meadows, playing in the final pairing in Tuesday's dual match against Chamberlain at Emerald Greens, shot a personal-best 37 -- including a clutch chip shot on the final hole -- to rally the Cowboys to a 164-165 victory.

 

The course on which Meadows was playing? The Meadow Nine.

 

Meadows hit his approach shot on the last hole -- a par-4 -- about 10 feet off the green, but followed with a chip to within 3 feet of the hole to preserve par. The Cowboys (2-0) were nine shots behind with only the final pairing still on the course.

 

"He's a good player," Cowboys coach Dwayne Olinger said. "He finally put a good round together."

 

Sophomore No. 1 player Jimmy Stanger shot a 38 for Gaither, which topped Wharton in its first dual match. Stanger also won low-medalist honors at last weekend's East Lake Invitational with a 1-over 73 at Cypress Run Golf Club.

 

The Cowboys, coming off a 15-1 season, face arguably their stiffest dual- or tri-match challenge of the season next Thursday against Plant and Jesuit at Cheval. Action tees off at 4 p.m.