Green Hope wins final SWAC 9-hole boys golf match of season

Green Hope bounced back on one of the hottest days of the spring to edge Panther Creek by six shots at Eagle Ridge Country Club on Tuesday. The Falcons had previously been defeated by Panther Creek, but picked up the victory to take eight out of nine of the Southwest Wake Athletic Conference nine-hole matches.

Green Hope shot a 144, while Panther Creek posted a score of 150.

Green Hope was led by Jack Massei, who scored a (34) one under par, and was the leading scorer of the day.

“I played good, I chipped a lot better, which is what I’ve been working on and made a couple putts,” Green Hope’s Jack Massei said. “We just need to play like we’ve been playing and I believe if we do that I feel pretty good.”

Panther Creek medalist Viraj Garewal posted the second best score, shooting (35) even par. Green Hope’s Rob McPartland and Chris Kim shot a (36) one over par to tie for third with Athens Drive’s Quinn Riley and Panther Creek’s Kayden Roberts.

“I thought we played pretty well today,” Green Hope coach Mike Robinson said. “I thought the course management was pretty good today and we didn’t try to do anything to hurt us and we tried to stay away from the double bogeys.”

Green Hope has been superb all season, and with the win the Falcons have already clinched the SWAC conference title even with the 18-hole conference tournament coming up.

The last SWAC conference match will take place on April 25 at Bentwinds Country Club in Fuquay-Varina, which will be an 18-hole match and will count for double points.

“We just need to stay focused and do what we’re supposed to do… don’t try to do anything outstanding, but be solid and play our golf,” Robinson said.

Athens Drive (162) finished third, Fuquay-Varina (164) finished fourth, and Holly Springs (165) placed in fifth.

With only the top four teams being allowed to qualify for the regionals, it will come down to the wire for the remaining SWAC teams such as Athens Drive, Middle Creek, Holly Springs, and Apex who are all very close in the standings.

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 12:04 AM with the headline "Green Hope wins final SWAC 9-hole boys golf match of season."