Notre Dame's Knudtson earns all-state at Class 3 golf meet

Notre Dame junior Gunnar Knudtson knew he needed to be aggressive but not careless Tuesday during the second day at the Class 3 state golf meet.

Knudtson entered the day two strokes off the lead and played the front nine in 1-under-par 35 at Silo Ridge Golf Course in Bolivar, Mo.

"I knew I was two off the lead and I told myself I had to go low," Knudtson said while traveling back to Cape Girardeau.

He played the back nine in 5-over-par 41 to finish seventh in the state with a 78-76--154, four strokes behind the winner.

"He really putted well," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said.

Knudtson earned all-state honors with his performance. The top 15 earn that distinction.

"Everything was going today," Knudtson said about his final round.

Knudtson said he figured if he could shoot a 70 he could win the individual title, and he was on pace through nine holes. But a string of bogeys on the back ruined his chances. It turned out he was correct, he would have won the state title with a 70.

Kearney's Ryan Zech won the individual championship with a 78-72--150.

Knudtson helped the Bulldogs finish fifth in the team standings with a 332-326--658. Pembroke Hill captured the state title with a 325-304--629, followed by Westminster Christian (331-307--638), Warrensburg (328-316--644) and Logan-Rogersville (337-315--652).

"We thought we could do a little bit better," Grim said.

Notre Dame's Cody Cox tied for 27th with an 81-82--163, while Jake Seabaugh tied for 41st with an 85-81--166. Brady Dixon (t-65, 88-87--175) and Tyler Arpin (t-73, 90-89--179) rounded out the Bulldogs' state qualifiers.

"[Monday] was really windy," Grim said. "The course was in really good shape."

In Class 4, Central's Corey Connell knocked a stroke off his score from the first round to finish tied for 27th with an 80-79--159 at Twin Oaks Country Club in Springfield, Mo. Jackson's Tanner Werner tied for 80th with an 87-86--173.

Saxony Lutheran's Zach Vaeth carded a 91-87--178 to tie for 54th in Class 2 at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo. Kelly's Derrick Garner shot an 88-93--181 to tie for 59th, and Saxony Lutheran's Collin Sprandel tied for 66th with a 94-90--184.

St. Vincent finished sixth in Class 1 with a 344-349--693 at Sedalia Country Club in Sedalia, Mo. Sacred Heart won the state title with a 318-307--625.

Brett Wengert paced the Indians with an 83-82--165, good enough to tie for 19th. Freshman teammate Levi Gotto carded an 81-90--171 to tie for 31st. Rounding out the St. Vincent state qualifiers were Dustin Yamnitz (t-41, 87-87--174), Sean Martin (t-62, 93-90--183) and Zac Carron (t-75, 93-98--191).