Cape Central's Simmons shoots 70 to land Jackson Invitational golf title

Central sophomore Travis Simmons made the par that eluded him one year ago, and it set him apart from the field Monday at the Jackson Invitational at Kimbeland Country Club.

Simmons completed an even-par 70 round by calmly rolling in a 1-foot putt on the par-3 18th hole for a one-stroke victory over Notre Dame sophomore Brady Dixon.

Defending tournament champion Carr Vernon of Poplar Bluff finished third at 72.

Carr had made a par on the first playoff hole last year, which made a runner-up of then-freshman Simmons, who found a green-side bunker and made bogey.

The hole had been on Simmons' mind for some time and was fueling his play throughout Monday's round.

Poplar Bluff's Carr Vernon, from left, Jackson's Connor Thrower, Dexter's Cody Stevens and Central's Corey Connell walk along the fairway on the second hole Monday. (Laura Simon)

"It made me play harder because I knew I had to grind for every shot," Simmons said about the playoff loss. "One shot can be everything."

He's found that out several times this year. One shot can cost several more if it's not dealt with properly.

"The last two tournaments we've had, I've played good on the front nine and went to the back and pretty much screwed it up," Simmons said.

Simmons shot even par on the front at Bent Creek but stumbled badly on the back at the Notre Dame Invitational and carded an 83. He toured the front nine at Westwood Hills Country Club with a 33 but covered the back nine in 41 and settled for third with a 74 in the Poplar Bluff Invitational last week.

"I'd make mistakes and get down on myself," Simmons said. "I couldn't get my focus back and never came back from it. It was good to get it done today."

Central's Travis Simmons putts on the second green Monday. He won medalist honors with a 70.

It was the first 18-hole victory for Simmons, who has gained numerous nine-hole medalist honors in high school.

"If he's had any problems, it's been finishing," Central coach Dick Wadlington said. "He's had a couple of other rounds where he was doing real well until the last couple of holes and it kind of got away from him. But that happens. That happens to everybody. The competition is very good here."

Simmons, who offset four bogeys with four birdies in his round, had one of his more trying moments on the back nine when he had to settle for a par on the par-4 14th.

He had a chance to move to 2-under with a 3-foot birdie putt but instead found himself dealing with the emotions of a missed opportunity.

"That's where I had a chance to get it going, to shoot 3 or 4 under," Simmons said. "When I missed that one, I had to get my focus back and regroup and get on with it."

Notre Dame's Cody Cox putts on the 18th green Monday at Kimbeland Country Club.

He settled down with pars on the next two holes before making his final bogey on No. 17.

Carr, the premiere high school player in Southeast Missouri who has signed to play golf at the University of Akron, played his final three holes in 4-over par with a bogey, double-bogey, bogey finish.

"I didn't play that good all day," Vernon said. "I didn't make any big mistakes the first so many holes. So I was still there, but I finished pretty bad."

Carr had been cruising at 2 under but finished at 2 over, which opened the door for Simmons, who walked through.

"He's a nice kid and works hard," Wadlington said about Simmons. "He's got an outstanding disposition. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Carr. He just plays -- not a lot of emotion, not a lot of flair. He's developed into a really steady player."

Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim watches the action on the 18th green Monday during the Jackson Invitational.

Poplar Bluff remained unbeaten as a team this season with a 306 total. Notre Dame, which finished 20 strokes behind as the runner-up last week in Poplar Bluff, was seven shots back at 313.

Dixon recovered from a rocky start to lead the Bulldogs. He missed short par putts on his first three holes but made amends with birdies on three of his final six holes.

"Poplar Bluff is a great golf team," Dixon said. "Whenever you have players like they do that can put up numbers, it's hard to beat them. But as a team right now we're playing good golf. We can definitely compete with some of the better teams in the area. Poplar Bluff is included in that. If we can play well, we can compete with them."

Jackson, which was led by Eli Pike's 78, was another six strokes back in the 12-team field at 319. The Indians tied with Fort Zumwalt South but won the fifth-player tiebreaker.

Central finished sixth with 332.

Notre Dame's Gunnar Knudtson chips on the 18th green Monday.

Team -- Poplar Bluff 306, Notre Dame 313, Jackson 319, Fort Zumwalt South 319, Sikeston 323, Central 332, Jackson (Red) 339, Dexter 362, Ste. Genevieve 374, Bloomfield 386, New Madrid County Central 390, Park Hills 433

Individual -- Travis Simmons, Central, 70; Brady Dixon, Notre Dame, 71; Carr Vernon, Poplar Bluff, 72; Cody Stevens, Dexter, 75; Jake Russell, Poplar Bluff, 75; Steven Beyer, Fort Zumwalt South, 77; Evan Deere, Sikeston, 78; Eli Pike, Jackson, 78; Hunter Pyland, Poplar Bluff, 78; Connor Thrower, Jackson, 79; Cody Cox, Notre Dame, 79; John Clynes, Fort Zumwalt South, 79

Central -- Travis Simmons 70, Corey Connell 80, Luke Kinder 84, Parker Browne 98

Jackson -- Eli Pike 78, Connor Thrower 79, Drew Hosp 81, Adam Way 81

Jackson (Red) -- Zach Crader 80, Garrett Griffin 82, Caleb Likens 87, Alec Lukefahr 90

Central's Luke Kinder putts on the 18th green Monday. He shot an 84.

Notre Dame -- Brady Dixon 71, Cody Cox 79, Gunnar Knudtson 80, Jake Seabaugh 83