The Shadow
PALMYRA, Va. (VR) – Freshman Jagger Rowland closed out his first high school golf season Monday at the Region Tournament at Lake Monticello Golf Course in Palmyra, finishing 34th among 88 golfers and ninth among the 20 individual qualifiers.
Rowland carded a 91 on a challenging Lake Monticello layout that tested the Alleghany freshman throughout the round. The field included 68 golfers representing eight teams and 20 individual qualifiers. Rowland’s 91 placed him exactly in the middle of the 88-player field. “Even though he was disappointed in shooting a 91, there were some bright spots throughout the round,” Alleghany head coach Archie Lemon said.
The course presented a difficult setup for Rowland and the Alleghany golfers. Every hole featured out-of-bounds areas, while nine holes also had water hazards across the fairway. With no parallel fairways, each hole played through its own corridor surrounded by trees, houses, out-of-bounds areas and water. That type of layout has traditionally been difficult for Alleghany golfers, who primarily practice on courses with parallel fairways.
Rowland’s round got off to a rough start when an errant tee shot led to a double-bogey on the opening hole. He then narrowly missed a four-foot birdie putt on No. 2 before four-putting the par-3 third hole.
Despite hitting the green and having a birdie opportunity, Rowland walked away with a five. “Jagger’s short game is usually one of his strengths,” Lemon said. Rowland finished with 35 putts, roughly seven more than his normal total.
Distance also played a factor. At barely 14 years old, Rowland was often giving up 50 to 70 yards off the tee to juniors and seniors in the field, putting added importance on his accuracy and short game.
A few difficult holes ultimately had a major impact on his final score. Rowland birdied No. 10 from two feet but followed it with a 10 on the par-5 11th, which stretches more than 600 yards. He also recorded two additional double-bogeys and two triple-bogeys.
Across those five holes, Rowland was 15 over par. On the other 13 holes, he was just four over. “I repeatedly tell the kids that stroke-play golf is not about how good are your good shots, but how bad are your bad shots,” Lemon said. “When your bad shots result in penalty strokes, your score just gets higher and higher.”
While Monday’s score was not what Rowland wanted, the freshman finished his first season with plenty to build on. Rowland earned First-Team All-Shenandoah District honors and qualified for the Region Tournament, gaining experience against some of the top golfers in the region. “Freshman Jagger Rowland had an outstanding season,” Lemon said. “Making First-Team All District as a freshman is quite an accomplishment. Playing in the Region Tournament was a great learning experience for Jagger.”
Lemon expects Rowland’s work ethic and determination to continue to push him forward. “Knowing Jagger’s drive, determination and work ethic, he will be determined to get through Region and compete in State next year,” Lemon said. “I feel confident that will more than likely be the case. Attitude is everything, and Jagger Rowland has the right attitude.”
