Central's Simmons shrugs off wind, wins SEMO Conference tournament

Mother Nature huffed and puffed Tuesday afternoon during the SEMO Conference Tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club.

She was able to help inflate 31 scores to 100 and beyond on the par-72 layout.

She was able to blow over Travis Simmons' golf bag as it sat in the fairway on the 15th hole as he putted nearby.

But she was unable to budge the Central junior from a rock-solid round of golf.

Simmons covered the wind-blown back nine in even par as others stumbled, claiming the medalist honor in the North Division.

Notre Dame's Brady Dixon tees off on the sixth hole Tuesday, April 23, 2013 during the SEMO Conference Tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Laura Simon)

"It's important for me because it's my home course, and I obviously want to do well," Simmons said about his personal triumph. "The support from the people that come out here is just greater than anywhere else we play."

While Simmons' 2-over 74 was enough to edge Sikeston's Gabe Wheeler by a stroke, it was not enough for the Tigers to defend their title.

That distinction belonged to Notre Dame, which continued its season of winning everything but its own tournament.

The Bulldogs shot a 323 total to edge Central by three strokes. That came after the Bulldogs finished well behind the Tigers in third place in the conference tournament a year ago.

"We were a little aggravated about that last year and we wanted to come in here and put together some good scores, and get us going as we get ready for the districts, which we have coming up," said Notre Dame junior Brady Dixon who shot 79 and tied for third place and team-low honors with junior Nick Cantoni. "I think we did a good job of that today."

Cantoni was of the same mindset.

"You want to stay sharp right before district and everything," Cantoni said. "The main goal is to get to state and win."

Three of the seven scores at 80 or below in the 64-man field belonged to Notre Dame golfers.

"It's been a few years since we won it, so it was nice to do it," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said.

At 80 for the Bulldogs was freshman Jack Litzelfelner, who had been medalist or co-medalist at the recent Poplar Bluff Invitational and Jackson Invitational.

Litzelfelner appeared in good position to add to his resume at Dalhousie when he made the turn at 1-under par, which was three shots better than Simmons on the front side. However, Litzelfelner opened the back nine with back-to-back double bogeys.

"The wind, and I just didn't start off very well," Litzelfelner said. "I didn't take advantage of any holes."

Meanwhile, Simmons was feeling like a par golfer even though his card said otherwise.

"I knew I was really hitting the ball well, but no putts were falling for me on the front nine," Simmons said. "So I knew if I could go to the back nine and make a few putts, I'd be right there. That's what I did."

Simmons got his round to even par by rolling in a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-4 12th, then chipped in for birdie on the par-3 13th.

That was around the time Mother Nature also ratcheted up her game.

"By this afternoon, that wind really picked up," Grim said. "It about blew us off 15."

"The last four holes were pretty hard on all the kids," Central coach Dick Wadlington said about the wind.

Simmons, who didn't hit a driver in his round until the final two holes, used the wind as an ally when possible. He put his ball on the back fringe on the par-5 15th in two shots after hitting 3-wood off the tee and following with a 4-iron.

"You know, I just hit my 3-wood so good," Simmons said. "When the wind is blowing like that, I had a lot of holes downwind and there wasn't any need for me to hit driver."

Course management and skill has made Simmons among the favorites each time he tees it up. He earned the medalist honor at the Notre Dame Invitational and has not shot higher than 77 in any tournament this season.

"He stays very composed," said Dixon, who has played countless rounds with Simmons over the years as both a competitor and a friend. "He's one of the best I know at doing that. He plays away from trouble, and that's something a lot of kids out here don't do."

"He's just an intelligent player," Wadlington said. "He's got a good, solid game. All his game is strong -- his woods, his irons. He's a good chipper and a good putter. He's just a nice high school player."

Simmons owned a comfortable lead at even-par through 15 holes and leaned on his cushion with bogeys on the potentially disastrous par 4s at 16 and 17.

He boldly hit the left side of the fairway with his drive on 17 with a steep slope and woods just a few yards farther left.

"You have hazard all down the left side. It's scary," Simmons said with a smile. "It was blowing right to left, so it was blowing right at the hazard. You just have to step up like any other shot. You can't try to guide it or anything. You just got to hit it."

Central freshman Koby Franklin finished in the three-way tie for third at 79 as the Tigers finished five shots ahead of perennial power Poplar Bluff.

"Second place, I'm happy with our guys, and I'm proud of them," Simmons said.

Sophomore Jon Renner rounded out Notre Dame's winning total with an 85.

Kennett's Aaron Beck shot an 81 to claim the South Conference medalist title and lead the Indians to the team title with a 396.

Kelly, led by Derrick Garner's 91, finished second at 404.

North Conference

Team -- Notre Dame 323, Central 326, Poplar Bluff 331, Jackson 352, Sikeston 353, Dexter 377

Individual -- Travis Simmons (C) 74, Gabe Wheeler (S) 75, Nick Cantoni (ND) 79, Brady Dixon (ND) 79, Nick Woolard (PB) 79, Jack Litzelfelner (ND) 80 , Luke Kinder (C) 83, Hunter Asher (J) 83

Notre Dame -- Brady Dixon 79, Nick Cantoni 79, Jack Litzelfelner 80, Jon Renner 85

Central -- Travis Simmons 74, Kobe Franklin 79, Luke Kinder 83, Garrett McMillan 90

Poplar Bluff -- Nick Woolard 79, Hunter Pyland 83, Ryan McVey 84, John Gilmore 85

Jackson -- Hunter Asher 83, Eli Pike 88, Adam Way 88, Zach Crader 93

Sikeston -- Gabe Wheeler 75, Kirk Hodgett 86, Conor McGillvary 95, Connor Landers 97

Dexter -- Ethan Stevens 85, Drake Mitchell 86, Myles Urhahn 100, Austin Chesser 106

South Conference

Team -- Kennett 396, Kelly 404, Caruthersville 419, Doniphan 428, Malden 429, Advance 434, Clearwater 440

Individual -- Aaron Beck (KT) 81, Brian Whitson (A) 82, KJ Lynch (C) 83, Bryce McPherson (KT) 83, Derrick Garner (K) 91,

Kennett -- Aaron Beck 81, Bryce McPherson 83, Josh Neighbors 112, Baunner Crossno 120

Kelly -- Derrick Garner 91, Brandon Housman 95, Jacob Riley 106, Josh Roberts 112

Caruthersville -- KJ Lynch 83, Trevor Winchester 102, Jonathon Montgomery 122, Park Abbott 124

Doniphan -- Cotton Smith 97, Austin Ivy 108, Trent Beeson 109, Stephen Murphy 114

Malden -- Cameron Hale 99, Sam Shepard 103, Nate Patillo 106, Andrew Belcher 121

Advance -- Brian Whitson 82, Spence Lorch 110, Garrett Walker 120, Grant Woodfin 122

Clearwater -- Matthew D'Amico 101, Robert Jamieson 106, Andy Johnson 116, Hunter Huff 117