Going out in style… Hampton’s Hill represents Hampton, county well in TSSAA golf championship
Published 12:24 am Friday, October 11, 2019
- File Photo/Ivan Sanders Hampton's Izaak Hill had a strong showing in the Small Schools TSSAA State Golf Tournament finishing in 25th place overall. Hill is pictured with his coach, Wayne Ellis, after the regional round at EGC.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
Hampton’s Izaak Hill had one goal in mind when he first teed up at hole number one in his high school prep career and that was to make it to the state tournament and represent Hampton High School on the links where every prep golfer desires to land in the limelight of the state’s best.
Hill achieved that opportunity when he was one of the top individual finishers in the regional tournament at Elizabethton Golf Course and on Tuesday and Wednesday, Hill stood on the links of WillowBrook Golf Club in Manchester fulfilling that dream.
Hill teed off on number 10 of the course Tuesday and fired a five-over-par 41 on the front nine and closed out his first day with an eight-over-par 44 on the back nine for the day’s total of 13-over-par 85 which left the Bulldog setting in 33rd place out of 64 participants in the tournament.
Day two saw Hill starting on hole 10 once again and matching his first day’s effort of a five-over 41 on the front. With nine holes left in his high school career, Hill came to life and beat his first day on the back nine by firing a five-over 41 to finish day two with a round of 82 which climbed him eight steps to finish out his state tournament appearance in 25th place.
The finish thrilled his high school coach, Wayne Ellis.
“It was a very long golf course and Izaak had some adversity,” said Ellis. “But he kept his cool and he kept his character and played well.”
Hill said that the course was unlike any that he has played locally.
“It was a great experience,” Hill stated. “There were a lot of out of bounds and with it being super long it was important to keep the ball in play all day.
“The greens were quick but played differently than the Elizabethton Golf Course. I didn’t feel good about my round yesterday but I felt better today. I hit out of bounds twice but ended up coming through pretty well.”
Congratulations to Hill and to Ellis as well who coached his last state meet with plans of stepping aside to spend more time with his family.
