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SportsMay 21, 2007

Neither Sam Carlson nor Eric Straub thought he played particularly well. But they were good enough Sunday to best the field at Dalhousie Golf Club and earn berths in the American Junior Golf Association tournament that Dalhousie will host next month...

Jack Connell Jr. of Cape Girardeau watched his tee shot during the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)
Jack Connell Jr. of Cape Girardeau watched his tee shot during the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

~ Jackson's Tanner Werner made a playoff for the final spot and will be the second local alternate.

Neither Sam Carlson nor Eric Straub thought he played particularly well.

But they were good enough Sunday to best the field at Dalhousie Golf Club and earn berths in the American Junior Golf Association tournament that Dalhousie will host next month.

Carlson and Straub both shot 5-over-par 77 from the gold tees (6,900 yards) to finish tied for first among 23 players in the qualifier for the AJGA Dalhousie Junior Classic.

"I gave a lot of strokes away," said Carlson, a recent graduate of Wentville Holt High School near St. Charles who will play collegiate golf at Missouri Baptist College in St. Louis. "I expected to play a lot better."

Jack Connell Jr. of Cape Girardeau watched his shot off the first tee in the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)
Jack Connell Jr. of Cape Girardeau watched his shot off the first tee in the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

So did Straub, who will be a junior next year at Heath High School in Paducah, Ky.

"I didn't play my best," Straub said. "I think I'll do better when I come back."

Still, Carlson and Straub were pleased to make the cut for one of the nation's premier junior tournaments.

"I'm pretty happy about that," Carlson said. "It will be interesting to see what I do when I come back."

Added Straub: "This was my first qualifier to play in. It's pretty exciting."

Tanner Werner of Jackson hit off the first tee in the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)
Tanner Werner of Jackson hit off the first tee in the AJGA qualifying tournament Sunday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Fred Lynch)

Also earning a berth for the AJGA Dalhousie Junior Classic that will be played June 19 to 21 at the course in southwest Cape Girardeau was Poplar Bluff's Danner McCauley.

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McCauley finished in a three-way tie at 78 but won out in a playoff to nab the third and final qualifying spot.

Also shooting 78 were Garrett Snead from St. Louis and Tanner Werner from Jackson. Sneed will be the first alternate for local qualifiers and Werner the second alternate.

Despite failing to qualify, Werner more than made his mark against primarily older golfers. He will be a freshman next year in the Jackson school district.

"He's a real good young golfer. He's done well in a lot of the tournaments we've had in the past," said Jack Connell, Dalhousie's director of golf. "He's got a really bright future."

Luke Dailey of Paducah finished sixth at 79, followed by Chance Holden of Dexter at 80 and Zach Stricker of Poplar Bluff at 82.

Jack Connell Jr. of Cape Girardeau, Jeremy Schwab of Paducah and Jeffery Harrison of Red Bud, Ill., all tied for ninth at 83 to round out the top 10 finishers.

In the eight-player girls field, Hanule Sky Seo of St. Louis shot a 7-over 80 from the white tees (6,100 yards) to claim the lone qualifying spot.

Haley Sipe of Marion, Ill., was second at 85, while Cape Girardeau's Emily Matthews topped the local players at 93.

"It was a good tournament, kind of an invitational deal, but we had some very good golfers here," Connell Sr. said.

Sunday's event completed the six tournament exemptions that Dalhousie was given as host.

Previously qualifying based on their play at the SEMO Conference high school tournament earlier this month were Trenton Hillis of Poplar Bluff and T.J. Smith of Jackson.

"We received the six exemptions and we thought it would be better to let the kids decide it on the course rather than us decide it," Dalhousie managing member and tournament co-chair Cord Dombrowski said. "It's the fairest way."

Dalhousie will host one more qualifier, that being on June 17 to kick off the tournament week.

Other than that, Dombrowski said the 144-player field has been set, as 29 states and Canada will be represented in the event that will feature many of the nation's premier young golfers ages 12 through 18.

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