Alex Hider
Wheelersburg High School’s Mitchell McFarland took home the Portsmouth Invitational golf tournament for the third time in four years on Thursday, posting a two-under-par 70 over 18 holes at the Elks Country Club.
The tournament featured dozens of golfers from 15 schools in the southern Ohio region. Gallia Academy took home the team competition after shooting a combined score of 305, led by Dares Hamid with a 71. Portsmouth, who finished fifth with a total score of 344, finished with the best team score of all local participants. Trent Rodbell led the Trojans with a an 18-hole score of 85.
West’s Jordan Tieman placed third in the tournament with a an 18-hole score of 73.
McFarland, the three-time reigning SOC II player of the year, jumped out to a quick start with a 34 on the front nine and reached as low as five-under-par after 14 holes. However, he bogeyed three of the final four holes to finish his day out at two under.
Despite the late slump, McFarland still finished a stroke ahead of Gallia’s Dares Hamid.
“I’m happy that I won, but at the same time I would have liked to not finish like that,” McFarland said. “I can’t complain.”
Wheelersburg placed 13th in the team competition, posting a combined score of 401.
The win was McFarland’s second in as many days, as he and Tieman both shot a nine-hole 33 on Wednesday at Little Scioto Golf Course in four-team match.
“That was my first match of the year. It’s always good to get some momentum,” McFarland said.
McFarland hopes the back-to-back wins propel him to a succesful final season at Wheelersburg, one that he hopes will end with a state championship. However, before he worries about the postseason, McFarland must concentrate on a competitive SOC II schedule, where he will be challenged by talented golfers such as Tieman and Jake and Joe Henderson of Waverly.
“I want to see how far I can go in the state tournament…but right now, right now, I’m just keeping my mind on the next event,” he said.
Box Score
GALLIA ACADEMY (Team A) 305
Dares Hamid 71
Zach Graham 77
Marcus Moore 78
Taae Hamid 79
WEST UNION (Team A) 337
Craig Horton 83
Jacob Pell 84
Elijah McCarthy 85
Eli Fuller 85
LOGAN ELM 339
Dylan Smith 77
Seth Fallis 77
Cord Ebert 90
Evan Huffman 95
ZANE TRACE 341
Arnold Caleb74
Brian Chaney 85
Jeremy Brooks 89
Tanner Doles 93
PORTSMOUTH 344
Trent Rodbell 85
Jahmir King 85
Austin Jones 86
William Sturgill 88
WAVERLY 351
Eric Heffner 82
Jake Henderson 84
Isaiah Clifford 92
Hayden Johnson 93
PORTSMOUTH WEST 353
Jordan Tieman 73
Trenton Cole 86
Cody Finley 97
Marty Knittel 97
CHESAPEAKE 353
Derek Lemley 77
Austin Hutchison 81
Justin Black 90
Liam Thacker 105
GALLIA ACADEMY (Team B) 362
Jeremy Brumfield 85
Kaden Thomas 90
John Stouf 92
Miles Cornwell 95
ADENA 365
Trey Postage 89
Tyler Williams 90
Jeff Postage 92
Jacob Wolford 94
JACKSON 365
Jarred Lemaster 85
Evan Coyan 90
Ricky Fraley 93
John Bachtel 97
IRONTON 388
Chandler Dodson 90
Cory Rawlins 95
Mitchell Weisgarber 98
Mason Slagel 105
WHEELERSBURG 401
Mitchell McFarland 70*
Cole Dyer 105
Blake Deck 108
Carson McCorkle 118
CLAY 412
Wyatt Large 88
Hunter Mathias 105
Hunter Armstrong 109
Caleb Cline 110
RIVER VALLEY 413
Logan Sheets 77
Grant Gilmore 101
Cliff Chapman 114
Chance Gillman 121
WEST UNION (Team B) 430
Carson McFarland 106
Blake Mowen 107
Connor Campbell 107
Andrew Sapp 110
* — Match Medalist
Reach Alex Hider at 740-353-3101 ext. 1931 or on Twitter @PDTSportsWriter
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