Staff writer
When the Marion County 36-hole high school golf tournament was created in 2003, the organizers wanted to give golfers something new.
“Back when Doug Dick was still coaching in Marion, we wanted to do something different,” Hillsboro golf coach Scott O’Hare said. “We wanted to add a challenge for golfers late in the season.”
Each year, anywhere from 8 to 18 teams compete, playing 18 holes at Hillsboro Municipal Golf course and 18 holes at Marion Country Club.
Larry Rapp, substitute coach for Olpe/Hartford, said his team attended last year and returned this year.
“They get tired, but they’re having a great time,” Rapp said. “Both courses are immaculate, and they fit our players’ skill level. The way the tournament is timed provides a good opportunity for a challenge. They play tired but have to stay focused.”
O’Hare said the tournament was the state’s first 36-hole high school golf tournament at the time, and since then a couple others have sprouted up.
He organizes much of the tournament in cooperation with Marion High School officials, including MHS’s first-year golf coach, Topher Rome.
“I helped get score cards set, paired golfing groups, and outlined the rules, but that’s all pretty standard stuff,” Rome said. “O’Hare really does most of it.”
“We’ve streamlined the process since it began,” O’Hare said. “We used to have to enter scores twice, now it all gets entered in one place.”
The Marion/Peabody-Burns Warriors couldn’t take advantage of their course, shooting a 431 at Marion and a 426 at Hillsboro to place eighth with a combined score of 857.
Jade Corona placed 24th of 45 golfers, shooting a 93 at Marion and a 107 at Hillsboro for a 200.
Jarrett Johnson shot a 110 at Marion and a 92 at Hillsboro to finish in 28th with a 202.