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Trip to see Woods inspires Cub star
Bennett, Taylor witness legend
Greencastle’s Jake Bennett has had a pretty eventful past couple of weeks.
After graduating on May 25, Bennett played while ill in the sectional on June 1 — but still led the Tiger Cubs to their third straight sectional title.
On Thursday, Bennett played perhaps the best round of his life on the biggest stage as he was runnerup for medalist honors in the Washington Regional at Country Oaks.
Last weekend, however, Bennett and teammate Conner Taylor were able to experience something else they will both never forget — watching PGA legend Tiger Woods perform in the Memorial championship at the Muirfield Village Country Club in Dublin, Ohio.
“That was pretty cool,” Bennett said. “We were on the driving range watching people warm up, and I saw the red shirt coming in. He was inside the ropes, and I knew that had to be him.”
Bennett and Taylor ran down there and got a front row spot so they could watch Woods perform up close.
“We had trouble following him on the course,” Bennett said. “There were so many people that we would have to run two or three holes ahead just to get a spot where you could see him hit the ball. I was excited to watch him play.”
Bennett said he was able to benefit in two ways from the experience, both as a fan and as a player always seeking to learn more about the game, as he prepares to make his first high school state finals appearance next week.
“I learned a lot from his style of play,” Bennett said. “That last day he’s coming in a couple of shots back and he needs to make some good numbers.
“He played really aggressively, but he knows when to play patiently.”
Other golf notes:
• Third Cub finalist in six years — Bennett continues a string of three Tiger Cub state finalists in the past six years.
Luke Brotherton was a state finalist for Greencastle in 2013, and Alec Davis was a finalist the next year.
Brotherton finished tied for 24th with a 147 in the 2013 tourney, which was played at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin.
Davis finished tied for 40th in the 2014 state tourney, also played at The Legends course. He shot a two-day total of 155.
• Third state finalist this year — Bennett is the third state finalist during the 2017-18 school year from Greencastle.
Emma Wilson won the cross country state meet in the fall, and this spring also won the 3,200-meter run at the state track and field finals. She placed fourth in the 1,600.
• Future teammate also qualifies — Jay Williams of Jeffersonville finished in a three-way tie for second place with a 71 in the Providence Regional at Clarksville and will also advance to next week’s state finals.
Williams will join Bennett as a freshman this fall for the Marian University men’s golf team.
• Bennett tops nemesis — Bennett lost to Seeger junior Peyton Snoeberger in head-to-head battles at the Attica Sectional for the past three years, but Bennett was able to top his nemesis on Thursday.
Snoeberger, a junior, finished in a four-way tie for sixth place with a 72 — one stroke behind Bennett’s 71.
• Cadet golfer also advances — Cascade’s Jackson Franchville shot a 73 and finished in a three-way tie for the three remaining spots behind Bennett and Snoeberger as individuals advancing without a team.