Lamp medals at MOVJGA event

ST. MARYS, W.Va. -Playing on a home course has its advantages. Just ask Coleman Lamp.

The 15-year-old from St. Marys High School recorded an eagle on the eighth hole and turned in the low round at Tuesday's Mid-Ohio Valley Junior Golf Association stop at St. Marys Golf Club.

Lamp's effort of 8-over par 72 wasn't quite as impressive as his career low of 64 turned in at the same location during last year's high school season at the St. Marys Invitational. On the other hand, the 18-hole total ranked heads above the rest in the 13-15 age division where Max Fitzgerald and Alex Easthom tied for runner-up at 84.

Article Photos

KERRY PATRICK Special to The Times
Mac McCormick of Williamstown watches his tee shot at the first hole during Tuesday’s Mid-Ohio Valley Junior Golf Association event at St. Marys Golf Club. McCormick was medalist in the 16-18 age division after shooting a 9-over par 73.

"Having previous experience on this course helped a lot with the greens because I knew where the breaks were on the greens and I knew where to hit the ball," Lamp said.

Lamp's first six holes didn't go exactly as planned. He opened with a double-bogey on the second hole and ballooned to a triple-bogey on No. 7.

After righting the ship, the highlight of Lamp's round occurred on his second tour of No. 8 - his 16th hole overall on the nine-hole layout. After his drive landed short of the fringe, he used his 60-degree wedge and found the bottom of the cup for an eagle '2.'

"When I hit it I had a feeling it might go in, but it was going kind of hot," Lamp said.

Until Lamp's arrival into the clubhouse with the final group of the afternoon, 16-year-old Mac McCormick of Williamstown High School represented the low round with a 73, which stood as the low round for the 16-18 age division.

McCormick, who began the shotgun start at the fifth hole, also experienced a rough time establishing his footing at the outset after turning in a double-bogey '6' on his first hole.

"I started out wrong and duck-hooked my drive out of bounds right into the cemetery," McCormick said. "I was fine with the double-bogey and came back with a par on the next hole."

Later in the round, McCormick tried something different to his approach and resorted to using a yellow golf ball. After the turn at No. 9 he finished with nine pars and four bogeys over his final 13 holes.

That consistency allowed him to pull away from Michael Sams, who was in a two-way tie atop the leaderboard with McCormick with four holes remaining before the Warren High School product finished 6-over during that same stretch.

"I was just trying to get pars - that was all I was wondering about there at the end," McCormick said.

Zach McKenna from Warren High School had his share of troubles figuring out his driver during the early portion of his round, but managed to finish runner-up in the 16-18 division after shooting a 75. Teammate Steve Farley followed in third place with a 76, while Sams was fourth at 78.

"The first three or four holes, I was pushing everything," McKenna said. "I hit two balls out of bounds and couldn't do anything. Then on No. 9, I hit a decent shot just to the left of the green and ended up making par. It turned around from there."

Of the four members in the 12-and-under group playing a nine-hole round, Carson Okraska of Vienna captured medalist honors with a 42. The 11-year-old golfer turned in one par when he posted a '3' at the 118-yard, fourth hole. After an impressive chip shot from off the green, he sank the 5-foot putt.

Parkersburg 12-year-old Logan Clegg finished runner-up with a 46.

The next MOVJGA event takes place with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on Thursday, July 5 at Worthington Golf Course in Parkersburg.