Columbus High wins Hardaway Invitational for third time in four years

The Columbus High School golf team put on a strong showing Saturday to win the 41st Annual Larry Gaither Hardaway Invitational for the third time in four years.

Leading by two strokes after the first round of play, the Blue Devils bettered their opening day total of 295 by two strokes on the East Course at Bull Creek Golf Course, compiling a 588 score that was three strokes better than their closest competitor, the Boiling Springs, S.C., team.

Columbus High’s Nolan Miller followed up his opening 69 with a 73 for a 2-under-par total, but finished tied for second with Carrollton High’s Chandler Dixon in the medalist competition.

Boiling Springs’ Trent Phillips posted consecutive rounds of 70 to take the medalist trophy. It was the seventh time in eight tries this year the 15-year-old sophomore has won medalist honors. “I lost one time in a playoff; I won all the others,” he said.

“The course was great and the greens rolled really great,” said Phillips, who already has committed to play golf for the University of Georgia. “The key is just to stay consistent. I was four under through nine today, then a double-bogey on the 11th hole set me back. I had another bogey and birdie coming in.”

His coach, Josh Pruitt, said Phillips has won the 4-A state championship the last two years and is “an amazing young man” who will be “the one to watch for in the future, for sure.”

But the Columbus team has its own heroes to praise for the team victory.

In addition to Miller’s play, Ben Carr proved to be a formidable force in the 36-hole competition.

Parker said Carr was hit with a 2-stroke penalty on Friday for hitting the wrong ball. Obviously upset by the error, he could have compounded the problem over the succeeding holes, but he didn’t. He played the last nine holes even par on Friday, posting a 5-over par 77, but on Saturday, he recorded a bogey-free round of 67.

“It was a perfect round,” Parker said, and that lowest round among any of the 115 competitors was a difference-maker in the outcome of the tournament. When all the other players also played their last four or five holes under par on Saturday, while playing with the Boiling Springs’ players, the Columbus High team came away with the trophy.

Finishing in third in the tournament was the team of Woodward Academy, which recorded a two-day total of 594, six strokes behind Columbus.

Hardaway High Coach Stephen Campbell, host of the event, said the tournament was a success with 23 teams competing this year. He’s hoping even more will opt for the event next year, noting the strong competition the invitational brings to the high school golf scene.

Final Standings

Columbus (588) – Nolan Miller 69-73- 142, Ben Carr 77-67- 144, Daniel Davis 73-77- 150, Johnathon Parker 76-76- 152, Rudy Pearson 80-83- 163.

Boiling Springs, S.C. (591) – Trent Phillips 70-70- 140, Josh Sprouse 74-75- 149, Graham Corbin 74-75- 149, Cole Hair 81-72- 153, Hanson Corbin 79-77- 156.

Woodward Academy (594) – George Stratham 71-72- 143, Mitchell Kahlert 74-74- 148, Jake Lawson 81-70- 151, Conner Asarch 86-73- 159, Marc Hammond 79-82- 161.

Byrnes (612) – Reed Bentley 74-75- 149, Will Brooks 78-73- 151, Tyler Jones 75-79- 154, Noah Barnes 79-83- 162, Carson Crooke 83-79- 162.

Brookstone (618) – Evans Copeland 75-72- 147, Williams Reaves 79-76- 155, Frank Waldrep 75-87- 162, Walker Hinds 81-81- 162, Brooks Whilden 84-79- 163.

Etowah (622) – Ryan Hines 73-75- 148, Caleb Jensen 76, 75- 151, Eli Newsome 81-79- 160, Caleb Greiner 85-81- 166m Garrett Sanders 82-84- 166,

North Oconee (624) – Payne McDonald 75-77- 152, Candler Murphey 77-76- 153, Garrison Britt 76-86- 162, Wells Foust 86-78- 164, Chris Dunlap 80-85- 165.

Carrollton (630) – Chandler Dixon 72-70- 142, Will Cochran 82-82- 164, Cole New 84-81- 165, Max Schoenfield 87-80- 167, Mario Perezcassar III, 79-91- 170.

Harrison (637) – Jake Blalock 78-80- 158, Sam smith 80-80- 160, CJ McCullough 84-76- 160, Logan Attaway 84-76- 160, Zack Womack 83-80- 163.

Woodstock (640) – Kevin Burns 74-69- 143, Joe Burnett 81-79- 160, Jesse Dalfonso 83-84- 167, Blake Hunt 86-84- 170, Alex Burgess 93-84- 177.

Athens Academy (641) – Nick Manfredi 81-75-156, Matt Moseley 79-78- 157, Owen Roberts 83-82- 165, Charlie Ruhl 83-80- 163, Charles Clarke 90-89- 179.

Harris County (641) – Kason Partridge 77-76- 153, Raines Edenfield 81-78- 159, Garrett Smith 82-83- 165, Warren Gallatin 83-83- 166, Luke Hardwick 81-102- 183.

Northside (646) – Cole Kirkland 78-78- 156, Dalton whittle 81-80- 161, Charlie Watson 84-79- 161, Jordan Coffield 87-81-168, Parker Younce 92-95-187.

Tift County (654) – Camden Collins 78-80- 158, Sam Tucker 79-81- 160, Charlie Cottle 83-85-168, Ryan Moore 83-85- 168, Reid Cottle 90-85- 175.

Vidalia #1 (660) – Jackson Toole 74-81- 155, Braxton Bellflower 82-83- 165, Doug Chesser 81-87- 168, Taylor McClellan 83-89- 172, Hayden Gavin 84-96- 179.

Colquitt County (661) – JW Griffin 82-78- 160, Peyton Clark 82-82- 164, Lance Blanchett 82-84- 166, Harrison Kebler 86-85- 171, Patrick Holman 101-98- 199.

Auburn (663) – George Hall 77-84- 161, Michael Thomas 82-83- 165, Will Solomon 82-85- 167, Tanner Guthrie 86-84-179 -170, Carson Barrett 88-90- 178.

NW Whitfield ( 667 ) – Tate Higgins 81-82- 163, Elliott McBrayer 81-83- 164, Trevor Owens 83-83- 166, Chandler Lomax 86-88- 174, Cole Roberts 87-92- 179.

Mount Vernon (672) – Ethan Mangum 74-73- 147, Brady Westmoreland 85-84- 169, Andrew Stovall 96-79- 175, David Thomas 87-94- 181, John Slade 97-100 – 197.

Trion (702) – Dawson Day 79-78- 157, Noah Hankins 90-85- 175, Tobey Deberry 93-91- 184, McCord Hood 97-90- 187, Murphy Khouda 96-96- 192.

Pacelli (737) – Ben Ranieri 90-82- 172, Dustin Jones 88-91- 179, Matt Oliver 104-86- 190, Ian Poole 104-92- 196, Garrett Robins 113-103-216.

Vidalia #2 (750) – Brandon Collins 90-83- 173, Bryce Spivey 87-98- 185, Hunter smith 97-97- 194, Zack Bond 98-102- 200, Chris Phillips 95-104- 201.

White County (799) – Daniel Rowland 98-89- 187, Brooks Long 97-94- 191, Austin Rowland 114-89- 203, Kirby King 111-111- 222, Clay Westmoreland 123-107- 230.

(Team scores based on top four golfers totals.)

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 10:25 AM with the headline "Columbus High wins Hardaway Invitational for third time in four years."