Page 90 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2019

SPORTS & OUTDOORS coast golf update
TEE-OFF
wi Tommy
HIGH SCHOOL MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS story by Tommy Snell photo by Michael Sunderman
Six years ago, Coach Sunderman’s St. Patrick Golf Team felt starstruck at the MHSAA State Championship Golf Tournament. He wanted to do something about that; consequently, the High School Majors teed off the following year on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
This year five majors took place
at Diamondhead, Great Southern, Sunkist, Hickory Hill and Grand Bear, all welcoming fifteen to twenty Coast teams. Over 130 high school golfers competed in at least one of the events. “I had a young team,
so I wanted to make sure that my guys played in as many as possible,” said Stone Coach Brad Thornton. “They really gained some great experience.”
Juniors had to play in at least
three events to be eligible for the prestigious South Mississippi Living Player of the Year Award and
the All-High School Majors All- Tournament Team. The race came down to the very last putt as Sam Lee’s eagle attempt on the last hole tickled the lip of the hole as it slid by the “high side.” A disappointment indeed, but his 4-under 68 allowed
him to hoist the Bank of Wiggins Medalist Trophy.
Gautier standout
Peyton Russell’s
74.67 average was
good enough to
capture the Player
of the Year award,
narrowly edging out
Lee’s 74.80. Cy Smith
(75.25) and Cam
Guidry (75.40) kept
it close all year long
as the four battled
throughout. These
four outstanding players won’t be starstruck when they head to their respective state championships.
Picayune’s Cam Guidry won the Diamondhead Invitational with a 2-under 70 while Sam Lee fired the same number at Great Southern
to take the Admiral Invitational. Peyton Russell took home medalist honors at the Indian Invitational at Sunkist with a 73 and the Mississippi National Invitational after a 74, good enough to send him to the top of the South Mississippi Living averages.
PICAYUNE HIGH SCHOOL won three of the ve high school major golf tournaments.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI LIVING HIGH SCHOOL MAJORS FINAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
Rnk Name
1 Peyton Russell
2 Sam Lee
3 Cy Smith
4 Cam Guidrey
5 Seth Alexander
6 Trace Sonnier
7 Max Guzhvin
8 Trenton Sonnier
9 Ty Lamb
10 Jimmy Gammill
School
Gautier Gulfport George Co. Picayune Pascagoula Vancleave St. Martin Vancleave Hancock Pascagoula
Avrg
74.67 74.80 75.25 75.40 79.33 79.75 80.00 80.50 80.60 81.33
90 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2019
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