Jackson golf wins tournament on home turf

The Jackson golf team maintained its momentum from a big victory last week and won its own Jackson Invitational by 13 shots on Monday at Kimbeland Country Club.

Led by senior Hunter Asher and his 3-over-par 73, all of the Indians' low four scorers stayed under 80 and posted a 306 total to finish 13 strokes ahead of defending champion Poplar Bluff.

Senior Ty LeGrand and freshman Tanner Walton both carded 77s, while senior Landry Moore rounded out the Indians' scoring with a 79, putting four Indians among the top 10 finishers in the 61-player field.

"I was really proud of our boys today," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "Anytime you're hosting a tournament it's extra-added pressure because it's your home course. I thought our boys did really good to shoot 306, that's a pretty good score right there."

After opening its season with a 328 and a runner-up finish to Poplar Bluff at the Notre Dame Invitational at Bent Creek Golf Course, the Indians have defeated the Mules the last two times out.

Advance's Brian Whitson follows his drive on the first hole at Kimbeland Country Club during Monday's Jackson Invitational. Whitson was the medalist with a 2-under 68.

"A little bit of that is we knew we could shoot a better score. We didn't play real well that day," Walton said about the Notre Dame Invitational. "And so things have been clicking for us. And if one guy doesn't shoot real well, the other guys have been coming through."

Jackson posted a 309 total in winning the Poplar Bluff Invitational on Friday, finishing six shots ahead of the host Mules at Ozark Ridge Golf Course.

LeGrand shot a 71 to lead the Indians on Friday, while Asher led the way Monday.

"Those are two good players, and either one of them can shoot a low score," Walton said. "And the other three guys that we've got, can all shoot in the 70s as well."

Asher finished third, five strokes behind Advance senior Brian Whitson, who earned medalist for the second straight tournament. Whitson finished at 2-under 68 -- the same score he shot in winning the Poplar Bluff Invitational -- to end three strokes ahead of Cape Central senior Kobe Franklin.

Whitson's round included a chip-in eagle on the par-5 first hole.

TEAM -- Jackson 306, Poplar Bluff 319, Advance 333, Cape Central 342, Saxony Lutheran 343, Fort Zumwalt South 345, Dexter 349, Ste. Genevieve 356, Bloomfield 371, Notre Dame 372, Jackson Red 383, Sikeston 434,

TOP 10 -- Brian Whitson (A) 68, Kobe Franklin (CC) 71, Hunter Asher (J) 73, Justin Capps (PB) 77, Ty LeGrand (J) 77, Nathan Woolard (PB) 78, Karsten Short (SL) 78, Landry Moore (J) 79, Jacob Chapman (FZS) 79

INDIVIDUAL

JACKSON (306) -- Hunter Asher 73, Ty LeGrand 77, Tanner Walton 77, Landry Moore 79

DEXTER (349) -- Ethan Stevens 80, Gavin White 93, River Chism 82, Tristan Ash 94

POPLAR BLUFF (319) -- Nathan Woolard 78, Justin Capps 77, Jake Richardson 80, Justin Pierce 84

CAPE CENTRAL (342) -- Kobe Franklin 71, Kegan Bramlett 85, Bennet Osburn 92, Dustin Lindsey 94

SIKESTON (434) -- Luke Blanton 86, Logan Hampton 98, Hayli Howard 117, Will Garner 133

NOTRE DAME (372) -- Caleb Schnurbusch 90, Nathan Hulshof 87, Jacob Michelson 99, John Palmer 96

ADVANCE (333) -- Brian Whitson 68, Spence Lorch 85, Carson Miles 81, Creighton Miles 99

BLOOMFIELD (371) -- Peyton Bell 87, Andrew Northern 82, Holden Duckworth 101, Tyler Battles 101

SAXONY LUTHERAN (343) -- Karsten Short 78, Anton Rhodes 87, Olivia Voelker 93, Ben Daniel 85

JACKSON RED(383) -- Collin Schlitt 92, Caleb Gilbert 94, Dustin Aden 97, Nate Kaminskas 100