Boys golf: Andrews senior Holly comes up just short of medalist trip to state
LUBBOCK Brett Holly knew exactly where he stood.
Twenty-five feet from the hole at No. 18 at the Region I-3A Championships at Meadowbrook Canyon Golf Course, Holly needed to sink his chip Thursday to force his way into a sudden-death playoff for a berth at the state championships.
Not an easy task.
But Holly's chip was right on line. The ball lipped out of the hole, though, and Holly missed a medalist's berth at state by a single stroke.
Andrews finished in fourth place as a team at 627, and Gatesville caught defending state champion Graham with a second-day 297 to win the title with a 593. Graham finished second place with a 597 and qualified for a return trip to state.
Holly had a chance after the first day to make it as a medalist.
The Mustangs' No. 1 player came up with a 1-under-par 71 on Wednesday, a score that placed him in a tie for second individually.
The top two teams qualify for state along with the top two individuals who don't play on the qualifying teams.
But Holly didn't have the same solid day on Thursday, and his putting allowed Perryton's Hunter Wade to catch the Andrews senior.
By the time Holly reached No. 18, he knew that Glen Rose's Hunter Blanks - the other individual qualifier - had a two-stroke lead. Holly and Blanks played in the same group Thursday.
And Wade's score had already been posted.
"He knew he needed to make that chip to have a shot," Andrews coach Jeff Miller said. "He didn't putt very well. He had four three-putts on the first nine holes."
Holly finished fifth at 147 after posting a 4-over 76 on Thursday.
Seminole's Chance Nichols finished in 10th place at 152, and the Indians finished in a tie for eighth place with Snyder.
Fort Stockton finished 10th with a two-day total of 660, and Pecos finished a stroke behind in 11th place.
But every team was chasing Graham and Gatesville.
"We knew coming in that those two teams were really strong," Miller said. "The UIL didn't do us any favors by moving Gatesville and Glen Rose into our region this year."
