Slaten, Hency finish second at Gateway junior tourney

Southeast Missourian

Brett Slaten and Jesse Hency had the top finishes among local golfers in the Gateway Section PGA Junior Seires 9-hole championship events Monday and Tuesday.

Golfers played one round of nine holes each day at Ballwin Golf Club.

Slaten, of Kelso, finished second in the 14- to 18-year-old boys competition with a score of 83. He had a round of 42 on Monday and 41 on Tuesday to finish seven strokes behind Grady Seldin of St. Louis, who shot 38 each day. Slaten was five strokes ahead of the third-place finisher, Alexander Musni of Ballwin.

Hency, of Cape Girardeau, finished second in the 10- and 11-year-old boys division. He scored an 88 with rounds of 46 and 42. Austin Wheeler of Kirkwood won the division with a 74 after opening with a 36 for a 10-stroke lead on Monday.

Cory Connell of Cape Girardeau also competed among the 10-11 boys and finished with a 114 with two rounds of 57.

The 18-hole championships will be played Monday and Tuesday at Crystal Springs Quarry Golf Club in Maryland Heights, Mo.