Boys’ state golf tournament finishes in the dark with a repeat winner
The 2020 Leachman Buick GMC Cadillac/KHSAA Boys’ State Golf Championship needed an extra hole in the dark in order for Marshall County’s Jay Nimmo to win his second consecutive individual title at Bowling Green Country Club on Wednesday as Trinity denied Taylor County a third straight team crown.
Nimmo, a senior who will continue his playing career at Mississippi State, parred the first playoff hole for the victory after a two-day, 36-hole total 3-under 141 on the par-72 course tied him with Cooper’s Rylan Wotherspoon. They both entered Thursday’s final round in the lead at 4-under par along with Christian Academy-Louisville’s Matthew Troutman, who finished in a tie for fifth, four strokes back.
Wotherspoon finished his final round with a birdie at 18 to take the overall lead into the clubhouse. More than an hour later, Nimmo came in with his 1-over par round that included a double-bogey on the 11th hole that seemed to snuff his chances.
But Nimmo recovered to tie for the lead again with a birdie on 16. Taylor County’s Luke Coyle was also in contention late in the day, but a bogey on the par 4-17th hole put him a shot back, where he finished in a tie for third with St. Mary’s Peyton Purvis.
Madison Central’s Clay Pendergrass was top finisher among Central Kentucky’s Region 9 competitors, coming home in a tie for 10th with a 5-over 149. Teammate Warren Thomis finished in 24th. Lexington Christian’s McKean Collins was the top competitor for the Eagles and finished 16th with a 7-over 151.
Trinity won its seventh team title thanks to seven rounds in the 70s over the two days led by Michael Long’s 6-over 150 and Ben Wulkopf’s 9-over 153. The Shamrocks had a more difficult time with the course on day two, shooting 14 strokes worse (314) than their opening round and briefly seeing Taylor County cut the lead to two strokes late on the second day. But Trinity held on to take the trophy by four strokes — 614 to Taylor County’s 618.
Taylor County nearly overcame a player disqualification on day one after one of its players signed an incorrect scorecard, a plight that also hit a player from Highlands in the first round. Both players were able to help their teams Thursday. Before the Taylor County error was discovered, Trinity led the Cardinals by five strokes after round one. The disqualification dropped Taylor 14 strokes back to begin the final round in fourth place.
Lexington Christian, a three-time state team champion, finished in fifth place behind Marshall County and Greenwood.
The 2020 Girls’ State Golf Championship begins Friday on the same course.
Complete results online: https://bit.ly/3jHfu9V
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 12:42 AM.
