Champions play their best even when they are not always at their best. They put aside aches and pains, nerves and pressure, and play their game. It isn’t easy but they step up. That’s what the Hamilton Broncs did on Saturday afternoon at the Hamilton Golf Course. As the defending Class A state champions, there was a lot riding on the backs of three seniors and a junior. But the quartet shrugged off nerves, pain and the pressure of playing before the hometown crowd to power their way to the state championship. Hamilton finished with a total of 614, 38 shots ahead of second place Park County.
Eli Rogers led the Broncs with a blistering 139 on 36 holes. He shot a very good 73 on Friday in the first round of the tournament. On Saturday, the senior stepped it up and shot a blistering 66 to set the standard. Teammate Tyler Jessop finished third with a showing of 147. He had rounds of 76 and 71. Junior Kyle Lubke finished in a three-way tie for third with a total of 163. Brad Palin, who had struggled with a leg injury much of the season, finished in a three-way tie for 16th.
Shown above are coach Owen Burch, Bridger Palin, Brad Palin, Eli Rogers, Kyle Lubke, Tyler Jessop, and Taylor Dowdy. Carla Hanson photo