Wil Huddleston was confident coming off the driving range in preparation for the 102nd Tennessean/Metro Parks Schooldays Golf Tournament on the Sneds Tour that he had what it would take to finish as medalist in the qualifying round at McCabe Course.
Huddleston was initially concerned about adjusting to a shorter course after playing in a tournament the previous two days at Hermitage Golf Course, which is much longer. That is why he spent extra time on the driving range, recalibrating his long shots, and it paid off.
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Huddleston tied for the boys’ low qualifier with Hagan Law with a 1-over-par 71 on June 3.
“I kind of knew going into it that I had a pretty good shot of being at the top,” Huddleston said. “It was kind of tough going today from 6,700 yards (at Hermitage) to almost 6,000 (at McCabe) just trying to get used to it.”
Huddleston, who will be a senior at Maryville, played in the Tennessee Junior PGA Championship at Hermitage June 1-2, where he finished tied for 18th at even par.
“On the range beforehand, at McCabe, I really tried to focus on my wedges,” Huddleston said. “It’s kind of weird taking my 5-iron in, instead of my sand wedge and gap wedge the whole time. You just have to change your mentality and know that you’re going to have shorter distances and will be taking the wedges in.”
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Law’s last tournament was also on a longer course at The Legacy in Springfield, which is 6,776 yards. So he also had to adjust.
“I just really try to not swing out of my shoes at McCabe because it’s a way easier miss with my driver because a lot of those holes are just like a driver 60 degrees,” said Law, who is from Lafayette. “I just try to shorten up and swing smoother. My home course in Macon County is just a nine-hole, and it’s pretty short, so I’m kind of used to it.”
Huddleston birdied holes No. 2 and No. 7 and bogeyed No. 3 and No. 4 to finish even on the front nine. He birdied No. 10 on the back nine and bogeyed No. 15 and No. 16 to finish 1 over. After paring every hole on the front nine, Law birdied No. 10 and No. 18 on the back and had a bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on No. 15.
Aubrey Travis from Nashville was the medalist in the 12-14 boys division at 2 over. He will face George Armstrong (11 over) from Franklin in the boys quarterfinals on June 3.
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Lyla Payne is Schooldays girls medalist
Lyla Payne from Clarksville posted a 76 for the girls medalist honors.
Payne had two birdies and finished two strokes ahead of Samantha Strothers from El Cajon, California, who shot 76 after a double bogey on No. 12.
As the top seed, Payne will play Hendersonville’s Emma Elkins (36 over) in the quarterfinals on June 4 and Strothers will face Kate Bixenman (36 over) from Old Hickory.
For the complete results and match play pairings, visit snedstour.org.
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Wil Huddleston, Hagan Law tie for medalists in Schooldays golf first round
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