BERLIN- Huge backups and extremely difficult course conditions conspired to provide a tough day for Stephen Decatur’s varsity golf team in the state tournament at the University of Maryland on Monday, but two Seahawks advanced to the finals.
Five Decatur golfers competed in the opening round of the state tournament at College Park on Monday, but a variety of factors made for difficult conditions. According to Coach Jim Krall, 148 golfers competed in the semifinal round, the largest field he could ever remember. The round took nearly seven hours to complete, and on one hole, number 14, six groups were backed up for about an hour.
In addition, the greens were rock hard and lightning fast and the pins were tucked on the hardest spot on every green, according to Krall, who likened the conditions to U.S. Open standards. Nonetheless, two Seahawk golfers survived and made the cut to advance to the finals on Wednesday. Andrew Urban shot an 81 and Matt Kristick shot an 82 to make the cut, which was set at 84.
Brooks Holloway shot a 90 and Danny Parker shot 92, and neither survived the men’s cut set at 84. Delaney Iacona shot an 89 and missed the women’s cut set at 87. In addition, Decatur shot a team score of 345, missing the team cut set at 334.