Advance's Mitchell capitalizes on ace to reach state tourney

STE. GENEVIEVE — Cody Mitchell picked the perfect day for his first career hole in one.

Mitchell aced the 125-yard 12th hole Wednesday in the Class 1 District 1 meet at Ste. Genevieve Golf Club, and that helped the Advance senior reach the state tournament for the first time.

"I was just on Cloud Nine the whole time from that hole in one," Mitchell said. "I tried to put it out of my head and play the next holes, but it was hard. It kept popping up in my mind. I was grinning the whole day after that."

Propelled by the 1 on the par-3 No. 12, Mitchell finished the round with a 93 and placed 14th in the district tourney. He was ninth among the 11 individual players who made the state cut along with the five players from team champion Thayer.

"It feels great because it's eluded me for the past three years," said Mitchell, who played golf as a freshman at Owensville before transferring to Advance.

He and fellow senior Cody Poe became the first players from the school's 2-year-old golf program to make the state tournament. Poe tied for the last spot, one shot behind Mitchell.

"It's quite an achievement," Advance coach Mike Redman said. "The kids put in a lot of time and practice. They helped start the program."

Mitchell, who began his day on the fifth hole in the shotgun start, wasn't sure where he stood when he went to the 12th tee.

"I was just taking it hole by hole," he said.

He grabbed the "8-iron, beautiful 8-iron," he said. "I think it's going to be my new comfort club."

On a day with an occasional gusting wind, Mitchell said he thought he put his shot within 5 feet of the pin.

"When I got up there, they started saying they thought it went in, and I was like 'No, it's not,'" Mitchell said. "I kept telling myself it's not in there. When I saw that it was in, I just kind of threw my hat up in the air and called it a day."

Well, not quite a day. Mitchell still had some work to do.

"I got tired," he said. "I had a couple of doubles where I shouldn't have and hit out of bounds a couple of times. But it was a nice day out and I had the hole in one, so that makes it a nice day."

The Hornets, who practice at Bloomfield but don't host any meets, finished fifth in the eight-team field with a score of 413.