KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Park Hill’s annual Darren Floyd Memorial Golf Tournament won the spring weather lottery, finding the narrow gap between bouts of April snowfall on Thursday, April 5 at Tiffany Greens Golf Course.
The Trojans wound up in fifth place in the 18-team field with a 335 team score. Liberty won the event with a team 322. Lee’s Summit West came in two strokes behind to grab the runner-up team trophy and Lee’s Summit and Liberty North Tied for third with atching 333s.
“So far it’s been tough with the weather,” Park Hill coach Zach Dorrell said. “It’s only the second time we’ve played the ball down this year. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and give everybody a chance to be more consistent.”
BRYCE MERENESS/Citizen photo
Trojans coach Zach Dorrell, left, gives a medal to Park Hill senior Davin Dorrell after he posted a top-five finish at the Darren Floyd memorial Golf Tournament at Tiffany Greens Golf Course on Thursday, April 5.
Davin Dorrell led the Trojans with a fourth-place finish at his home tournament. He carded a 6-over 78, two strokes behind individual champion Trace Walters of Smithville. Ryan Graves shot an 83, good for 17th place and behind the final medalist of the tournament. Grant Schumaker carded a 13-over 85 and Joey Keeth rounded out the Trojans team score with a 17-over 89.
Park Hill South shot a team 359, a 10th-place finish.
Chris Walker shot an 87 to lead the Panthers team contingent. Kevin Ryan 88, Nick Ryan 91 and Harrison Feester 93 rounded out the team score for Park Hill South.
“All of the kids a very close in averages,” Park Hill South coach Tracy Mangels said. “That creates a competitiveness which is fun. We just need someone or a group of people to separate from the pack so to speak so we know who we are going with (at districts). Luckily we still have a couple more weeks to figure that out.”
The results mirrored the Panthers results so far on the season with any golf capable of outperforming another in any given round. The closeness of competition has blossomed a tight-knit group with internal competition thriving.
“These kids all know it, we share everything with them,” Mangels said. “They’re a close-knit group, which makes it fun. They truly bond together. They root for each other. They want to win, and they want each other to do well, but they just want to do a little better.”
Park Hill South was scheduled to play in the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Invitational on Monday, April 9 but it was postponed due to adverse course conditions.