Northern Tier Sports ReportWILLIAMSPORT — It may have been by the skin of their teeth, but Towanda’s duo of Graham Welles and Boom Thompson punched their ticket to the PIAA Class AA Boys’ Golf Championships Saturday at the District IV, Class AA Boys' Individual Championships.
Welles was sixth overall at 15-over, shooting a 78 at Williamsport Country Club, while Thompson took the final qualifying spot, seventh, as he was plus-17 for the tournament after shooting 82 on Saturday.
“It feels amazing,” Welles said. “I worked so hard over the offseason after last year’s heartbreak. I knew I had a job to do this year, and I got it done.”
Both golfers came up just short of states last year, and this comes a week after claiming a team district title at White Deer.
“It feels amazing, I worked all off-season for this,” added Thompson.
Welles came into the day tied for fourth with an 80 on Thursday, but a pair of bogeys in two of the first three holes put him on the bubble.
After three straight pars he added two more bogeys to finish with a 40 on the front nine.
He was a little sharper on the back nine with just three bogeys and six pars, including three straight pars to end the round.
“It was nerve racking but I had to grind it out, and do whatever I could to get pars,” remarked Welles. “Me and my coach and dad had conversations before the round, and the most important part of the round was the back nine stretch because that’s where all the pressure comes in.”
Welles finished with 11 pars on the day.
Things were a little more tense for Thompson as a pair of double bogeys on the front nine put him in danger.
After shooting a 44 on the front he appeared to right the ship, parring four of his first five holes on the back.
However, another double on 15 saw Thompson right on the cut line.
“I was playing very poorly throughout the day,” he said. “I wasn’t looking at the leaderboard so I wasn’t sure where I was, I just kept playing and whatever happens, happens.”
He would birdie 16, but a bogey on the par-3 17 put him into a tie for the final qualifying spot. He would need a par on the par-5 18 to get into the playoff, or a birdie or better to take it.
“The birdie on 18 was the most important putt of my life so far,” said Thompson. “After bogeying the par-3 17th hole I was told I needed a birdie to avoid a playoff hole. I put my third shot to about 15-feet, and knew I had a chance to make it. I felt good about the line, and hit it. When it dropped a sense of relief poured into my head, and it felt amazing knowing to be headed to states.”
Both players know they have things they need to work on.
“I putted well and drove the ball well,” explained Thompson. “My irons were the struggling part of my game today. That will be what I’m focused on.”
Welles is hoping to up his game before the state tournament in two weeks.
“I need to get concisely better at everything because It’s not good enough.”
Owen Saverool took 15th overall at plus-32 after shooting an 88 on Saturday. He had eight pars on the round.
Baylee Clark tied for 18th at plus-35 after carding a 95 on Saturday. He had six pars on the day.
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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM
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