Carter blisters Okee shooting 65 one day after a 66 at U.S. Open qualifier to advance
BLACKSHEAR — Ware County senior Trace Carter blistered the Okefenokee Country Club firing a seven-under-par round of 65 leading the Gators to a runner-up post in the Area 1 4A tournament.
A two-time state medalist in Class 5A, Carter carded six birdies and an eagle in his 32-33-65 round over the 6,36-yard layout winning by five shots Tuesday, April 29. Benedictine sophomore Bear Dollander, who carved out a round of twounder- par 70 with an eagle and three birdies, placed second in the field of 54 players.
Carter’s 65 followed a six-under-par 66 Monday, April 28 in a U.S. Open qualifier at Doublegate Country Club in Albany. Carter’s round was bested by Connor Howe, a professional golfer from Ogden Utah, and amateur Hughes Threlkeld of Savannah. Howe posted a 63 with Threlkeld carding a 65.
Carter tied for third with Everett Whiten, Jr., of Chesapeake, Va., and amateur Russell Makepeach of Atlanta.
The top seven finishers in the field of 132 players. Carter is scheduled to play June 2 at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta in one of 10 final qualifiers that day. The 125th U.S. Open begins Thursday, June 12 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.
Dollander was one of five Cadets to shoot 78 or better in winning the nine-team Area tournament with a 297 team score. The Gators finished second, 14 shots back, with a 311.
Both advance to the two-day Class 4A state tournament being held Monday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 20 in Acworth at the Governors Towne Club. Allatoona is the host school.
Third-place Perry (314) and fourth-place Marist (318) earned berths in the Class 4A Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 Sectional at Georgia National Golf Club in McDonough along with the third and fourth seeds from Area 2, Area 3 and Area 4.
Advancing to the state finals field from Area 2 11team tournament were Harris County (314) and Starrs Mill (324). Cartersville (295) and Allatoona (315) topped the five-team Area 3 tournament. Area 4, with 11 schools in the field, had defending champion North Oconee (274) and Blessed Trinity (281) secure spots. North Oconee has won three of the past four Class 4A titles (202122, 2024).
Headed to the Sectional to join Perry and Marist for the final four spots are Area 2’s Jones County (333) and Ola (334), Area 3’s Dalton (319) and Midtown (326), and Area 4’s Westminster (297) and Madison County (298).
The rest of the Area 1 field consisted of St. Pius X (329), Wayne County (332), Druid Hills (342), Northview (360) and North Springs (407).
Ware County junior Asher Dean was the only other Gator linkster to shoot a sub-80 round posting a 39-40-79 with three birdies finishing in a three-way tie for 13th with Perry’s Davis Horton and Marist’s William Kilborne.
Junior Jackson Ray posted 37-43-80 with a birdie to finish in a three-way for 17th with Colton Davis of Prry and Jake Verlander of Druid Hills.
Junior Brodie Martin carded a 41-46-87 with two birdies finishing in a four-way tie for 27th with Perry’s Tyler Riner and the St. Pius X duo of Colby Smith and Tyler Eichenberg.
Senior Eli Taft shot 40-54-94 for a solo 40th-place showing. Lucas Tuten posted 52-49-101 tying Mason Horner of Druid Hills for 46th.
