HOT SPRINGS — A short memory.
Matthew Keyser had one Tuesday afternoon.
It guided him to a Pioneer District championship.
Keyser rebounded from a triple bogey on the par-4 10th hole at The Omni Homestead’s Old Course to play the final eight just 1-over, winning medalist honors and leading Bath County to a second consecutive district team title.
Keyser’s 79 led the way in the Chargers’ 366, 63 shots clear of runner-up Eastern Montgomery.
Covington, missing top player Allison Douglas and No. 4 Aidan Raether, due to COVID quarantine, was third with a 478.
Wyatt Harmon (91), Russell Ingram (95) and Andrew Turner (101) were the other counting scores for Bath County, who went unbeaten in the regular season.
BCHS? coach Justin Whittington had in the back of his mind all year a Parry McCluer team a couple years back that went unbeaten throughout the regular season only to finish third in the district tournament and miss a regional trip.
“Anything is possible,” Whittington said. “I kept telling the boys not to get overconfident. We practiced right up to yesterday on this course preparing for this. I’m glad we were able to avoid an upset today.”
Keyser used birdies on the 2nd and 4th holes to offset a double bogey on the tough par-4, 6th hole for a front nine 39.
Then came the triple on 10 that would have derailed a majority of high school golfers.
“I just tried to forget about it and play every shot,” said the Charger junior. “As I’ve got older and as I’ve matured, I’ve realized that it’s just one bad hole. There are a lot of holes to make up for a bad shot or hole.”
Whittington said maturity is the key word for Keyser.
“Matthew has always been an exceptional golfer,” said the Bath County coach. “In his younger years, it was a little bit harder for him to let go of that bad shot or that bad hole. He’s improved dramatically in that area and it’s showing.”
For Covington coach Stan Young and his Cougars, it’s been a tough few days.
Covington had finished second to Bath County in every Pioneer District regular season match, but couldn’t overcome the loss of Douglas and Raether to gain the district’s second team spot in next week’s regionals.
Everyone that played Tuesday will move on to the regional tournament because of qualifying guidelines (two teams and the six best scores not on those two teams).
Douglas and Raether would have also earned spots if the Cougars could have finished second as a team.
The third place team finish however eliminated the CHS twosome.
“It had a huge impact on us,” said Young. “All the kids wanted Allison and Aidan to be with us. I think they forced some shots that they normally wouldn’t. So it was a difficult day.”
Justice Maloney had a 110 to lead the Cougars, while Massey White added a 119.
The Class 1, Region C tournament will be played on Tuesday at The River Course of Virginia Tech.
Keyser qualified for the state tournament in 2019 as a sophomore on the same course.
“We’ve played two regional tournaments there, I played a junior golf tournament there in the summer and I’ve played practice rounds there so I know it pretty well,” Keyser said. “That helps a little bit.”
Match Summary – The Omni Homestead’s Old Course (18 Holes, Par 72)
Medalist – Matthew Keyser, Bath Co., 79
Bath County (366): Matthew Keyser 79, Wyatt Harmon 91, Russell Ingram 95, Andrew Turner 101, Hunter Harmon 102, Carter Hooker 111
Eastern Montgomery (429): Zion Sawyers 91, Hunter Howard 97, Drew Smith 113, Ashton Lofon 128
Covington (478): Justice Maloney 110, Massey White 119, Isaiah Hubble 123, Jenna Ruckel 126
Narrows (N/A): Hunter Thornton 101, Dylan Wheeler 118