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Win Gives Gators Golfers A Boost Before SAC Tourney

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By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent

Published: October 4, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS - Their clubs didn't resemble swords, and their opponents weren't mistaken for fire-breathing beasts.

Nonetheless, Land O' Lakes coach Tom Clark summed up the Gators' boys golf match against Mitchell on Tuesday as an accomplishment just as mighty as anything in a fairy tale.

'We were basically the dragon-slayers today,' Clark said.

In defeating the Mustangs 159-162, Land O' Lakes (9-2) notched its first win at Mitchell's home course, Crescent Oaks Country Club, and dealt the school its first Sunshine Athletic Conference loss in more than two years.

The victory was crucial for the Gators, who would have been three points behind the Mustangs (9-2) entering the SAC tournament had they lost. As it stands now, the teams are only one point apart, meaning both control their own destinies at Tuesday's tournament, which also will be played at Crescent Oaks.

'It was mandatory that we win,' said Clark. 'It was a total team effort and they did a great job, beating Mitchell, which has fantastic players and a great coach.'

It wasn't as if the Gators were exuding confidence as they drove through the brick and iron front gate of the private course off East Lake Road. According to Clark, many of the players actually considered themselves overrated after losses to Ridgewood and River Ridge.

But everything seemed to change once Land O' Lakes arrived at the first hole, a 405-yard par-4, which rates as the second-toughest on the front nine. It was there that senior Wes Parrish and junior Josh Barnett gained two strokes on Mitchell's top duo of Kenny Cavender and Dan Fliesher.

Parrish would go on to par all nine holes, battling windy conditions and intermittent rain, for a 36 that held up as the best round of the day.

'It wasn't my best round, there were probably three putts I should've made,' said Parrish. 'But I had some good up and downs, including the third, where I was short-sided.'

Barnett carded a 40, while Cavender (41) and Fliesher (42) had a rare off-day.
Cavender made five pars, but struggled with his driver, most evident at the par-5 sixth where he hooked his tee shot into a hazard of cypress trees. Six people searched for the ball for five minutes, but never found it. He was forced to take a penalty stroke, and scrambled for a bogey.

Fliesher, who had the group's lone birdie with a perfectly read 15-foot putt at the fourth, made just one par after that, missing the last three fairways.

'The big difference is our first group didn't play like they were capable,' Mitchell coach Rick Hyatt said.

The Mustangs were led by a 39 from sophomore Chaz Heinz and a 40 from freshman Sterling Bash. Heinz enters the tournament on a hot streak, having broken 40 in his last two matches.

Land O' Lakes also got a big boost from junior Austin Costa (40) and sophomore Alex Estes (43). Estes had begun the year as the team's No. 8 golfer, but made two birdies Tuesday and now is in the running for one of the five playing spots in the SAC Tournament. Clark said he must decide between Estes, senior Charlie Wolfle (who didn't play Tuesday) and junior Brad Renner (49 on Tuesday) for the final spot.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

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