The difference between first and second place was four strokes at the first OAA Division I tournament on Aug. 26. Unfortunately for Clarkston, the Wolves left looking up at the end of the day; shooting 297 to Rochester Adams? 293.
‘I’m not convinced that on any given day we can’t beat (Adams). Our teams are very evenly matched. We did not play badly at all,? Clarkston Coach Tim Kaul said.
Senior Zach McDonald led the way for Clarkston, shooting a 72. Kaul was especially pleased to see McDonald’s game take a good turn.
?(McDonald) struggled at the beginning of the season, but he’s playing great golf now. Sometimes golf can be like dominoes, one thing happens that gets you going in the right direction and the rest of your game follows suit,? Kaul said.
Pacing McDonald at the OAA tournament were sophomore Matt Fuller, who shot a 74; senior Rob Ronk, who finished with a 75; and senior Pat McIlrath, who shot a 76.
Clarkston’s only other action of the week came at the Troy invitational on Aug. 24, where the Wolves? score of 290 easily won the day.
Sophomores Brandon Stone and Fuller led the way for Clarkston both shooting 71.
Clarkston entered the season at a breakneck rate, leaving one day after tryouts for a tournament in Traverse City and playing three times since, culminating with the OAA tournament.
‘The last two weeks I call ‘Hammer Time.? You have no chance to set back and relax and see where you are at as a team,? said Kaul.
Clarkston was able to play Liberty, their home course, for the first time this year on Aug. 29 in a scrimmage against West Bloomfield. The Wolves have no competition dates this week, but will scrimmage Lakeland on Aug. 31.