Morris, Norman North win Jenks Invitational at Golf Club of Oklahoma
By Ken MacLeod
High school golf season is back in full swing and a special treat awaited some 18 teams that gathered in Broken Arrow Monday morning, a chance to test themselves against one of the state’s top courses in The Golf Club of Oklahoma.
Jenks was the host school and though he had only played the course a handful of times previously, Jenks junior Sam Morris shone the brightest, shooting a 5-under 67 for his second victory of the young season.
Norman North won the team race with a 14-over 302, led by second-place finisher Josh Stuart with a 1-under 71, tying Ben Lathrop of Heritage Hall for second. Many of these same teams will be back in action at Forest Ridge Wednesday and at Bailey Ranch in Owasso Saturday. Bailey Ranch also will be the site of the Class 6A state championship May 8-9, it was recently announced.
Norman North finished three shots ahead of the host Trojans. Edmond Norths B team and Edmond Santa Fe tied for third at 309.
The winning Norman North team, from left, assistant coach JR. Hurley, Hayes Gladhill, Max Courange, Dax Rambo, Josh Stuart, Mack Moore, Tanner Littlejohn, Hayden Russ and head coach Ryan Rainer.“It was a Morris, who is coming into his own and plans to spend the spring and summer trying to bolster his recruiting stock before deciding on a college venue, made six birdies and one bogey on the Tom Fazio design which has hosted top level events including a stop on the Korn Ferry Tour.chilly start but after two or three holes it was fine,” Morris said. “The north wind wasn’t bad. I’ve been playing well, not just at Belmar last week but in Texas and Arizona this spring. I’m hoping to play well this spring and then roll into summer and keep playing well. I’ve got some schools I’ve talked to but nothing official yet.”
Morris birdied holes 3, 4, 6, 13, 14 and 17 with a lone bogey on 16. He rolled in a 20-footer on the par-3 17th to cap his birdie binge.
Like Morris, Stuart is a junior whose game is on the rise and has not committed. Norman North also got rounds of 75 from Mack Moore, 76 from Dax Rambo and 80 from Max Courange.
The other counting rounds for Jenks were 76 from Cale VanBrunt, 78 from Parker Fine and 84 from Jacob Cameron.
Stillwater, regarded as the favorite in Class 6A, did not send its varsity team to the event. Tying for fourth with even-par rounds of 72 were Cameron Cheek of Noah, playing as an individual, and Will Hennessee of Bishop Kelley.