Sophomore Lauren Slatton is a golfing machine. She is going back to the TSSAA state tournament this year after qualifying Monday in the Region 4AA Tournament. She qualified for the state last year as a freshman. Lauren Slatton is the real deal, and she is more poised and confident this year.
Slatton shot 73, 3 over par, which placed her second individually in the 4AA Region Tournament in Hendersonville at Country Hills Golf Course. Lynn Lim from Station Camp shot 69, 1 under par, to secure first place in the region.
Third place in the girls division was Cookeville’s Daniella Pyror. These three girls will represent the region individually in the state tournament.
In the boys bracket, Chase Newby shot 85, and Sawyer Seymour shot 86. The WCHS boys team did not qualify for the region tournament, but Newby and Seymour qualified individually. It was a good learning experience for Newby and Seymour.
PLAYER COMMENTS
Lauren Slatton exclaimed, “It feels great! I can’t wait to get back to state. I have a few things to work on before going back. I am going to practice really hard.”
After the tournament, Chase Newby said, “I was a little disappointed in myself. I hit the ball well, but when I got around the greens, I couldn’t finish the job. Couldn’t putt. You see better players, better scores in the region.”
Sawyer Seymour said, “I started out good, and sort of blew up on the back. I could have shot in the 70s easy. I just lost focus on the back. I didn’t putt good either. I think we will be here as a team next year, all five of us. I think we will win the district.”
HEAD COACH
COMMENTS
Head Pioneer golf coach J.W. Holt said, “Lauren qualified for the state. The guys have something to build on for next year. Expectations for Lauren are that she reaches that level, and she has reached that level. I would like to have seen our boys team here, and if they had shot their average (in the district tournament), then they would have been here. We had two individuals make it, which is a good thing at this point in the season.”
REGION 4AA REPRESENTATIVES – TEAMS AND BOYS INDIVIDUALS
Two teams, Gallatin (first place - 161) and Cookeville (second place - 166) will represent the girls in the state tournament next week in Sevierville.
The top three boys scores in the region tournament were Cookeville’s Luke Caldwell with 68, Cumberland County’s Jaxon Reed with 69, and Macon County’s Maddox Crowder with 72.
The two boys teams representing the region are Cookeville (first place - 317) and Greenbrier (second place – 322).
STATE TOURNAMENT
The state tournament for Lauren Slatton will take place this coming Monday and Tuesday in Sevierville at Sevierville Golf Club.
