By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
Sylvan Hills’ golf team hosted its home opener at The Greens at North Hills on Thursday, and two home-team golfers took first place against competitors from North Pulaski and Mills. Garrett McKibbon won the boys’ nine-hole match with a round of 48, while Ashton Williams won the girls’ event with a 62.
Scores were not as good as the Bears’ first match. The same three teams plus Jacksonville competed last week at North Pulaski’s home course, Stone Links. The wooded Sherwood course is drastically different from the links course in Scott, and scores reflected it.
“The Greens is just a very tight course and the kids didn’t adjust to it very well today,” said Sylvan Hills coach Greg Frantal. “That comes with experience. If you don’t keep it straight, you’re going to be in trouble on this course.”
The greens were also faster than last week, which also gave players some trouble. For years The Greens at North Hills featured bentgrass greens before it closed as a private club. After being bought by the city of Sherwood and reopened as a public course, it now has Bermuda grass greens.
“The greens are lightning fast and unforgiving,” Frantal said. “That’s something else the kids will have to adjust to. It’s just going to take playing some rounds out there and figuring things out.”
Race Rogers of Mills finished second in the boys division with a 52 while Sylvan Hills David Talcott shot a 53 for third place.
North Pulaski’s Jessica Erwin shot a 66 for second place in the girls while Bailey Jabara of Sylvan Hills shot a 72.
“Obviously those aren’t the scores you’re looking for in a nine-hole round,” Frantal said. “We just started so I think they’ll get a lot better. They have to learn you can’t just power through everything here like they were doing out at Stone Links. They’re going to have to give up some yardage and keep it in the fairway. Just hit it straight. That’s the key at this course.”
Sylvan Hills’ next match will be Thursday at Country Club of Arkansas in Maumelle, hosted by Central Arkansas Christian.
