State tourney experience has Polk golfers thinking about 2020

Watching his two state tournament qualifiers compete against the state’s best players for two days had Polk County golf coach Pat McCool already thinking about the 2020 season.

“The good thing is that both of those guys come back next year,” McCool said of Hunter Lynch and Carson Emory. “We’re hoping next year to have a whole team there, and the experience they’ve had this week will help everyone.”

Lynch and Emory wrapped up play Tuesday in the state 1A golf tournament on the famed Pinehurst No. 6 course.

Lynch had one of the better rounds of the day, firing an 84 to finish tied for 38th place with a two-day total of 182. Emory posted a 100 for a two-day 191 and a tie for 50th place in the field of more than 80 golfers.

“It was really windy when they teed off and there was a lot of dew,” McCool said. “You can tell by other people’s scores how tough the course was. Those greens are maybe the fastest they’ve ever seen.

“I’m really proud of both of them for making it there. Their scores were respectable compared to everyone else. They had a lot of fun and they enjoyed themselves.”

The defending 1A champions, Community School of Davidson, pulled away from challengers East Surry on the tournament’s second day to claim the school’s second men’s golf championship. The Spartans entered the final round with a slim three-shot lead over East Surry, but pulled away to a 17-shot final margin by lowering their combined round one total of 335 to 326 on the tournament’s final day.

In the individual championship, Caleb Surratt from Union Academy edged last year’s champion, Addison Beam from Highland Tech, by one shot.

After an up-and-down round of even-par on Monday, Surratt played a steady-handed round in day two, carding a 1-under 71 with three birdies on the day. He earned the school’s second NCHSAA individual state championship, equaling the championship of Nick Smith in 2016.