Course, community earn high marks from out of state golfers

~ Cape's hospitality and Dalhousie's conditions have impressed.

With 18 competitors in the 144-player field, Texas has the second-most representatives among the 29 states in the AJGA Dalhousie Junior Championship outside the host state of Missouri, which has 46 players.

And the parents who have made the trek from the Lone Star State have not been disappointed with their first look at Dalhousie Golf Club. The reviews have been thumbs up.

Dan Deichert of Dallas watched his 17-year-old son Patrick compete and came away impressed by the course.

"Most of the golf courses they play are much easier than this," Deichert said. "This is like real golf, not junior golf. [Patrick] has played around the country, but this is definitely the best course they've played."

Emily Matthews of Cape Girardeau steered her putt into the 13th hole Wednesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

Bruce Beeson of Aledo, Texas, has tracked his son Brad, who was a member of the Texas Class 4A state championship team at Aledo High School that recently ended a seven-year run of titles for Highland Park. The father and son are veterans of the AJGA and have hand-picked the courses for their final season of junior competition.

"I like to look for good golf courses, and this one has lived up to its billing," Bruce Beeson said.

John Lodge of Houston works with the ACE fundraising program of the AJGA and both his sons have played in the events over the years. One son has moved on to college, but his son Eric is still playing at the junior level.

"One of the head people of the AJGA told us about this event six to eight months ago, and said, 'You must bring Eric here,' and she's always right," John Lodge said. "And we called and thanked her today."

Added Lodge: "This is a fine golf course. I told [Dalhousie managing member] Cord [Dombrowski] that I'll tell everybody I know in Texas how great it is. I know some kids coming up who are top players in the country and I'll be sure to tell them and their families. One of the best players from the U.S. [Cory Whitsett] is from Houston and he's only 15 and you can be sure I'm going to call his dad and tell him about this. He's probably ranked fifth or sixth in the country. I'll have him up here."

Rachel Mulkey of Flower Mound, Tex. hit her tee shot to the 14th hole Wednesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

And Southerners are quite familiar with the subject of hospitality.

"They're excited to be hosting the tournament and having the kids here," said Gary Sirman of Tyler, Texas, who was watching his son Ryan, a three-year veteran of the AJGA. "Believe it or not, there are a few places you go and they don't want you on their golf course. It's like, 'You can't practice. Hurry up and leave so we can play.' It's the total opposite here. I feel very welcome. And I think this is about the best golf course we've ever seen."

A Perryville alum

Joe Vogel, a 1977 Perryville High School graduate, is now the women's golf coach at Miami International University, and was on hand Wednesday to watch his 16-year-old son T.J. compete.

The elder Vogel was a first-year coach at MIU and led the team to a second-place finish in the Sunbelt Conference.

T.J. Smith of Jackson chipped onto the eighth green Wednesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

"It's amazing to come back to Cape and see a golf course as good as this," Vogel said.

During his high school days in Perryville, Vogel made the Missouri high school state tournament, and his offspring have inherited some golf talent.

T.J. has quite a resume: The U.S. Kids World Championship in Jekyll Island, Ga., at the age of 9; Future Masters Champion in Dothen, Ala., at 10; and he is the only boy to win the Doral Publix Invitational in Florida four years in a row. T.J. also won The International in Chester, England, at 9.

His daughter, Whitney, is also accomplished, playing for a Florida high school state championship golf team at American Heritage.

Local girl improves

Cape Girardeau's Emily Matthews did not improve her score enough to make the cut for today's final round.

But Matthews improved her score from the first round to the second round more than all but one other girl in the Dalhousie Junior Championship.

Matthews, who will be a senior at Notre Dame Regional High School, followed up her opening-round 96 with an 84 on Wednesday. She finished at 180. The cut line was 169.

"I was pretty pleased. It's the best round I've ever shot here," Matthews said. "I felt more comfortable, more laid back.

"I knew I was pretty much out of it [making the cut], so it took the pressure off."

Recent Jackson High School graduate T.J. Smith, after a first-round 83, shot an 80 on Wednesday.

Cape Girardeau's Jack Connell Jr., who will be a senior at Central High School, followed up Tuesday's 84 with an 83.

Smith and Connell both failed to make the cut.

Poplar Bluff's Trent Hillis, who will be a high school sophomore, is the only Southeast Missouri player to advance to today's final round.

Hillis, after a first-round 82, came back with a 77 to make the cut at 159. Half of the 108-player boys field, along with ties, advanced to the final round. The cut line was 160.

Danner McCauley, who will be a high school senior in Poplar Bluff, failed to make the cut after his 78, which followed Tuesday's 85.

Please repair your divots

Players participated in a divot-filling party after the second round.

Players enjoyed sodas and camaraderie while dumping sand on the divots created over the first two rounds.

"The goal is to leave the golf course better than when they came," said Jack Connell, the director of golf at Dalhousie.

The goal was also to have a good time.

"It gives them a chance to interact in a relaxed way, rather than when they're in the heat of competition," Connell said.

Young blasters

How good are these players?

Tyler Mitchell, 17, of Cadiz, Ky., was one of several players to drive the 355-yard 14th hole during the tournament. Mitchell performed the feat in the first round.

"It was a little down-wind though," said Mitchell, downplaying the feat. "The pin was on the right back. I didn't think I could get there, but somehow I did it."

He was left with a 20-foot eagle putt and settled for a tap-in birdie.

"They said it was the third ball on the green, but they said it was the closest they'd seen," Mitchell said.