Woodbury shakes off nerves

The Indian Rocks Christian golfer wins the A-15 title in a playoff. His Eagles also take team honors.

By BRANDON WRIGHT
Published October 11, 2005

SEMINOLE - In the commercial for the popular EA Sports video game Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06, a golfer shakes uncontrollably while trying to make a pressure putt as Woods looks on from a few feet away.

Indian Rocks Christian's Kolin Woodbury was that type of player Monday.

Woodbury sunk a three-foot putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Class A, District 15 Tournament championship at Seminole Lake Country Club.

"I was very, very nervous," Woodbury said. "I was shaking so bad standing over that putt. It was just like that commercial."

Woodbury parred the final two holes in regulation to force a playoff with Calvary Christian's Mike Baskovich.

Woodbury found out he was in contention as his group approached the 17th tee. He was aware a pair of pars or better would at least force a playoff with Baskovich, who was in the clubhouse after carding 74. But Woodbury said knowing his position just made him more nervous.

"It gave me something to shoot at, but it kind of works as a hinderance too because it gets in your mind a little," he said.

The two players returned to the par-5, 505-yard first tee for their showdown, and Baskovich's driver found the right rough. Woodbury then ran a 3-iron up the left side of the fairway and Baskovich recovered, leaving both laying three with green-side chips.

Woodbury flopped a sand wedge within three feet, and Baskovich's ran about eight feet by the hole. But Baskovich's putt just slid by the right side of the hole before Woodbury sunk the winner.

"I'm very proud of the way (Woodbury) played today," IRC coach David Hazard said. "He had a little bit of a shaky start, and he has a tendency to get down on himself, but he kept focus and pulled through."

Woodbury's 74 led IRC (315) to the crown. The Eagles, along with St.Petersburg Catholic (321) and Shorecrest (323), qualified for next week's region at Westchase in Tampa. It was IRC's championship.

"This is something we've been working towards the last few years," Hazard said. "These kids put in a lot of hard work hitting balls, and what's best is they have great attitudes."

The other region qualifiers were Baskovich, teammate Trey Howard (76) and Northside Christian's Malte Schrotgens (75).

[Last modified October 11, 2005, 20:20:18]