GOLF:  Johnson places third, Braves win at five-team match

by Mar 25, 2015SPORTS di-ne-lv-di-yi0 comments

Cherokee senior Dustin Johnson prepares for a tee shot in a five-team match at The Golf Club at Mill Creek in Franklin on Tuesday, March 24.  He finished third overall with a career best 46.  (AMBLE SMOKER/One Feather)

Cherokee senior Dustin Johnson prepares for a tee shot in a five-team match at The Golf Club at Mill Creek in Franklin on Tuesday, March 24. He finished third overall with a career best 46. (AMBLE SMOKER/One Feather)

 

By AMBLE SMOKER

ONE FEATHER STAFF

 

FRANKLIN – Cherokee senior Dustin Johnson carded a career best 46 to finish third in the individual category of the five-team match at The Golf Club at Mill Creek in Franklin on Tuesday, March 24.  Brent Amundred (38) and Johnny Lupoli (39), both from Highlands, finished first and second respectively.

“I was glad to see Dustin play well and finish as 3rd medalist in the match,” said Braves Head Coach Andrew Maney.

Johnson led the Braves, along with Christian Ensley (47), Holden Straughan (49), John Lossiah (53), and Josh Taylor (60), to a first place finish over qualifying teams Blue Ridge (225) and Tri-County Early College (251).  Highlands and Nantahala didn’t have enough team members to qualify.

A few memorable shots on the day included Johnson driving the green on back-to-back holes on 8 and 9.  Holden Straughan also carded a birdie on the par-5 hole-6 after finding himself in trouble off the tee.

“Holden got into the 40s, and that’s another bright spot for our team,” said Coach Maney.  “Once again, we dropped our total team score from the previous match. This is something we have done since our matches started three weeks ago. At the first match, we shot a 216 as a team and now we have shot under the 200 mark in the last two. It goes to show that our hard work is paying off.

“We just need to continue to improve our game around the greens and we’ll see our scores improve as a result.”

To view or purchase photos from this match, visit: https://onefeather.smugmug.com/SPORTS/GOLF/Braves-2015/At-Mill-Creek-Franklin-March/