Sophomore leads Bluff to ND Invitational title

Poplar Bluff sophomore Nathan Woolard literally had to make a name for himself Monday afternoon as the Mules made their season debut at the Notre Dame Invitational.

Woolard's first name was scripted with a red marker above the crossed-out name of Nick, his older brother who was a senior last year, on the Mules' scoring chart posted in the clubhouse at Bent Creek Golf Course.

The red "Nathan" was also followed by the day's only red number, a 2-under 70 that topped all individuals in the 15-school event and helped the Mules to an eight-shot victory over Jackson in the 13-team competition.

"He set them straight now -- everyone knows it's Nathan Woolard instead of Nick Woolard," Poplar Bluff coach Billy Pyland said with a laugh.

Woolard finished three strokes ahead of Cape Central senior Kobe Franklin, who shot a 1-over 73 and had a front-row seat to the medalist's round as member of the foursome.

"It pushed me to a different level," Franklin said. "I was just trying to make birdies to catch up to him. He was making everything."

Woolard looked like anything but a medalist based on his opening and closing holes. He three-putted for bogey on No. 1 and sent his drive out of bounds on his way to a double bogey on No. 18.

The 16 holes between were a bit better, covered in five shots under par.

It included a chip-in for eagle on the par-5 17th hole, which took him to 4-under for his round and on course to beat his personal best of 69.

He said he was aware of that possibility when he quickly stepped onto the 18th tee box.

"On 18, just flared her right, and it went right out of bounds," Woolard said.

Pyland was following Woolard and said the sophomore was a bit too amped from the eagle on No. 17, quickly drawing a driver from his bag and blasting away.

"He just jumped up there and hit," Pyland said. "By the time I had turned around, he already hit it. He needs to learn to slow down and take a practice swing. He didn't take a practice swing."

Woolard teed up a second ball and got home in four strokes for a double bogey to finish at 70, which was 10 strokes better than his score in the tournament as a freshman.

"I was just trying to shoot below 75 coming into this, and I did that," said Woolard, who said his previous low score in high school was a 74.

He is one of two returning starters from a Poplar Bluff team that qualified for the Class 4 state meet last year.

"I've gotten a lot better in every part of it," Woolard said about his game. "I feel a little more confident teeing off and making putts."

Senior Jake Richardson, the Mules' other returning starter, shot a 78.

Senior Hunter Asher led Jackson with a 75, which was good for third. It came less than a week after he was not among the Indians' top four scorers in a windy season-opening quad victory at Kimbeland Country Club.

"I feel like I hit it good enough to win it [today], but Woolard played really well, so did Kobe Franklin," Asher said. "I couldn't convert on some of the birdie putts I had, but I hit it pretty well. I've actually been struggling the last couple of weeks with my swing."

He called Monday's 3-over round a relief after the wind and the swing flaw battered his confidence with a 9-over par 44 six days earlier.

"That was the worst round I had in a couple years with the golf team," Asher said. "Yeah, it feels a lot better coming out here and shooting a good score, and hopefully getting in the top three or five and playing good, but I was happy with today."

Asher also was in the group with Woolard, whom he has known for a number of years and is good friends with his brother, Nick, who is now playing collegiately at John A. Logan.

"It was fun to watch, especially a young player like him -- he's only a sophomore, coming out here and showing everybody what's up," Asher said. "He can play, for sure."

In the runner-up finish for Jackson, freshman Tanner Walton turned in an 80, senior Ty LeGrand shot 84 and senior Dylan Murakami carded an 89.

"For our first tournament of the year, our goal was to shoot a 320, so 328 wasn't bad," Jackson coach Zack Walton said. "It was only eight shots off of what we thought we could have shot today."

Franklin was the lone Tiger to shoot less than 99 and had to overcome a double-bogey 7 on the third hole. He also had 14 pars, two birdies and a bogey in his 1-over round.

"I feel like I'm a little more mature and consistent," said Franklin, a two-time state qualifier. "Whenever I make a mistake, like instead of trying to make up for it, like today, I three-putted and made double bogey, and right after that, I came back with a birdie on No. 5. A couple years ago, I'd get a little mad, but I've learned that's not good. Just come back strong and bring it back."

Jonathan Bell shot a 76 to tie for fourth place for two-time defending champion Notre Dame, which finished fourth in the team standings with a 350, five shots behind third-place Park Hills.

For the Mules, it was their first title since 2012, which marked the last of their 10 straight titles in the tournament.

"Poplar Bluff, they have a great program down there and are among the top in the state every year," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said. "We're lucky to have them in our tournament. They come up with good golfers. I don't where -- they must breed them down there -- but they come up with some good golfers."

Team scores -- Poplar Bluff 320, Jackson 328, Park Hills 345, Notre Dame 350, Dexter 360, Farmington 366, Advance 370, Saxony Lutheran 374, Cape Central 385, Potosi 395, Kennett 399, Ste. Genevieve 438, Sikeston 480

POPLAR BLUFF (320) -- Nathan Woolard 70, Jake Richardson 78, Ryan Bridgewater 85, Justin Pierce 87, Justin Capps 88

JACKSON (328) -- Hunter Asher 75, Tanner Walton 80, Ty LeGrand 84, Dylan Murakami 89, Landry Moore 95

CAPE CENTRAL (385) -- Kobe Franklin 73, Kegan Bramlett 99, Bennett Osburn 99, Dustin Lindsey 114, Dalton Drum 116

NOTRE DAME (350) -- Jonathan Bell 76, Caleb Schnurbusch 88, Nathan Hulshof 90, Jacob Michelson 96, John Palmer 108

ADVANCE (370) -- Brian Whitson 77, Carson Miles 92, Spence Lorch 88, Creighton Miles 113

DEXTER (360) -- Ethan Stevens 76, Gavin White 90, River Chism 91, Taylor Smith 103

KENNETT (399) -- Chris Crawford 101, Dawson Britt 99, Blake Carr 93, Logan Faulkner 106, Drew Porterfield 107

SAXONY LUTHERAN (374) -- Karsten Short 89, Anton Rhodes 96, Olivia Voelker 96, Ben Daniel 93, Drew Zieba 114

SIKESTON (480) -- Luke Blanton 103, Logan Hampton 103, Will Garner 136, Cooper Grant 138, Hayli Howard 138