Blue Devils show poise in face of struggles during 72nd Quincy Invitational

August 21, 2021 | By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor

Quincy High School's Brady Walker lines up his putt on the 11th green during Saturday's Quincy Invitational at Westview Golf Course. Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Hope does more than float. It evaporates if you’re not careful.

The Quincy High School golfers sensed that happening as the opening holes of Saturday’s 72nd Quincy Invitational proved treacherous. Yet, their experience, resolve and sticktoitiveness allowed the Blue Devils to shrug off the struggles and make a bid for a trophy.

They ended up one stroke short, finishing fourth in a talented field of Class 2A and 3A teams with a 403 total at the par-71 Westview Golf Course. The unique invitational format requires teams to play five players and count all five scores. Typically, teams take six golfers to a tournament and count the top four scores.

This time it resulted in a bunched leaderboard.

Moline won the invitational championship with a 397, followed by O’Fallon at 401, Springfield at 402 and Quincy at 403. No other squad in the 17-team field came within 20 strokes of the top four. Quincy Notre Dame, which continues to battle coronavirus quarantines, posted a 460.

As mildly disappointing as it was to not grab a trophy, it was equally encouraging to be able to work through the struggles and stay in the game. Each one of the Blue Devils’ top five golfers had to fight to stay in the mix.

Brady Walker and Luke Mettemeyer, both seniors, tied for the low round as each shot a 5-over 76. Walker bogeyed four of his first seven holes, then bogeys Nos. 10 and 11 to start the back nine. However, he parred seven of his final eight holes and added a birdie on the par-5 17th to finish eighth individually.

Mettemeyer bogeyed his first two holes, stayed steady until back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13, but responded by making birdies on the par-4 14th and par-5 17th. He finished ninth individually.

Cameron Bergman, another senior, had one of the roughest starts. He triple-bogeyed the par-4 first hole and took back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 5 and 6 — both par-5s — to sit at 6-over through six holes. He finished at 6-over 77 and in 11th individually, offsetting two bogeys with two birdies on the back nine.

Raulin Zanger, who played with QHS’s second entry but has been in the top six this season, took 15th with a 79.

Liberty’s Blake Arnold shot an even-par 35 on the back nine and finished sixth individually. QND’s Konnor Craven shot an 86 to finish as the low Raider.