Making an attempt at state

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake boys golf head coach J.R. Cox saw the best golf from his players at the district tournament. While all five failed to make the state cut, their near miss makes next season full of possibilities.

Eastmont won the district title with a team score of 582, Kennewick's Kevin Tucker took home medallist honors with a 5-under par 138 to lead the field of 55 golfers at the Big Nine district tournament at the Links at Moses Pointe and the Moses Lake Golf and Country Club.

Leading the way for Moses Lake was freshman Mike Holmes, who shot a first round 74 at Moses Pointe and a second round 76. Holmes qualified for the match by winning subdistricts last Wednesday with a round of 73 and missed the state cut by two strokes.

"I knew he was capable," Cox said about Holmes. "It was just getting him some tournament experience."

As a team, the Chiefs shot a combined 619 over 36 holes to finish fourth at the tournament with Eastmont on top, followed by Walla Walla with a 590 and Richland, who finished with a team score of 614.

For Moses Lake, it was their best two-round event of the season and best finish in a Big Nine competition.

"They have been working hard the last couple of weeks," Cox said about his team's jump in performance.

Cameron Whittle opened the day with a 4-over 76 at Moses Pointe, then fell with a 5-over front nine at the Moses Lake Golf and Country Club. After finishing with a double-bogey and bogey on the front nine, Whittle missed a birdie putt on the par 5 10th hole, before rattling two more bogey's to move to 7-over par.

On the 12th hole, Whittle's approach shot fell short of the green, but saved the hole after chipping next to the hole to tap in for par. Whittle also bogeyed 15 and 17 at the Country Club to finish with a 9-over 80.

"I have to get used to the greens over here," Whittle said about his difficulty during the second round.

For Moses Lake, they bring all five golfers back next year with a chance to improve on their fourth-place finish and qualify some individuals for the state meet. The Chiefs had three golfers within eight strokes of the qualifying cut.

"I still feel like we gained a lot today," Cox said.

Big Nine district results:

Eastmont 582

Walla Walla 590

Richland 614

Moses Lake 619

Southridge 622

Wenatchee 627

Pasco 627

Kennewick 646

Kamiakin 664

Eisenhower 666

Davis 789

Individual results:

1 Kevin Tucker 138 Kennewick

2 Max Reinland 140 Walla Walla

3 Tyler McDougall 141 Eastmont

4 Tyler Ketelsen 141 Walla Walla

5 Ash Miles 145 Richland

6 Nick Ellis 145 Eastmont

7 Justin Lassard 146 Wenatchee

8 Kyle Williamson 147 Eastmont

9 Derek Cheney 148 Richland

alt Travis Aker 149 Southridge