Broughton, Leesville Road’s Redman, runners-up at 4A boys’ golf championship
Broughton’s Stephen Saleeby and his teammates felt confident they could make up four strokes on first-day leader Charlotte Myers Park to climb from third place to capture their third state golf team title in four years.
Their hunch was partially correct as their low four scores Tuesday combined for an impressive even-par 288 to make up six shots on Myers Park, but the Capitals were forced to settle for a runner-up finish in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A boys’ golf at Pinehurst.
Pinecrest, which started the final round in second place, was even hotter than Broughton on an 86-degree day with a 4-under 284. The Patriots won the two-day event over Broughton, 586 to 592. Myers Park was third at 594.
“We thought we could win,” Saleeby said. “We thought we could get after the golf course. We didn’t give up and fought hard, but it wasn’t enough.”
Pinecrest was led by state individual champion Eric Bae. He followed up a 2-under 70 on Monday at Pinehurst No. 2, where the statue of 1999 U.S. Open winner Payne Stewart overlooks the No. 18 green, with another 2-under 70 on Pinehurst No. 4.
Bae, a junior who has committed to Wake Forest, should sound familiar to Triangle high school golf fans. He played at Athens Drive last year, and his sister Sarah won the 2012 state 4A title for Athens Drive. They are the first brother-sister pair to win NCHSAA golf titles.
Leesville Road’s Doc Redman, a junior committed to Clemson, finished as the runner-up. He was the leader in the clubhouse with a 2-under 142 for more than an hour until Bae finished in the second-to-last group.
“The greens were a little softer the second day,” Redman said. “You could be aggressive with the pins and go after the par 5s.”
He played the four par 5s in 4 under with two birdies and an eagle on No. 13.
Moments after Broughton’s players suffered a letdown when they learned they finished second, Saleeby had to march to the first tee for a sudden-death playoff. Saleeby and Greenville D.H. Conley’s Bryce Hendrix shot identical rounds of 73-70 for a 1-under 143 to tie third.
“It was tough, but I had to refocus,” Saleeby said. “It was emotional for us four seniors not to win it our last year.”
Both players were on the par-4 first hole in two, but Hendrix sank a 32-foot birdie putt and Saleeby just missed a 10-footer. The top four individuals earned medals.
Broughton’s other three Tuesday scores were senior Harrison Rhoades, 70 for a 147 total; sophomore Jimbo Stanley, 74–151; and senior Preyer Fountain, 74–154. Freshman Patrick Carlin claimed one of the state’s two sportsmanship awards.
“He made all-conference for us while playing for an injured” Rhoades, Broughton coach Anderson Marlowe said. “But he stepped aside for a senior and never complained.”
This story was originally published May 12, 2015 at 8:20 PM with the headline "Broughton, Leesville Road’s Redman, runners-up at 4A boys’ golf championship."