MUSKEGON — Reeths-Puffer got off to a slow start, but finished strong at the Division 1 regional meet Wednesday on its home links, Lincoln Golf Course.
The Rockets finished 10th, posting a team score of 344 - two shots ahead of rival Mona Shores.
Dylan Panozzo led R-P with an 80 and scored three birdies over his final 10 holes. He was two over par for his final nine holes and finished in 17th place overall - four strokes from the last state qualifying spot.
Freshman Kristian Brown also had a good finish to his round. After struggling to seven over par during his first six holes, Brown played his last 12 holes at just three over, ending the day with an 82. In one seven-hole stretch, Brown was one under par, making a birdie on the par-4 first hole and scoring par on the other six.
“The team had some guys get off to slow starts today,” Rockets’ coach Matt Pallett said. “I was proud of how the guys battled through some of those slow starts and put some good stretches of golf together.”
Pallett considered the regional tournament something of a microcosm of the season, where the Rockets were always competitive but could never seem to put their four best rounds together in a day.
Jake Lee scored a 90 for R-P, and Aiden Waggoner had a 92. Like his teammates, Waggoner played better as the round progressed, going one under par over his final four holes, including a birdie on the par-4 third hole. Ayden Hartzell shot a 94.
“The last event of the season is always tough,” Pallett said. “I have two seniors who will be moving on. Dylan has been a four-year varsity player and will be playing at Muskegon Community College next year. Jake Lee is in his second year of golf. Jake really started to play some good golf at the end of his career. He is hoping to play at Muskegon Community College as well next year.”
