GC invitational draws 17 teams

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August 2, 2012

GC invitational draws 17 teams

Rocky Stanley The Independent The Daily Independent Thu Aug 02, 2012, 11:53 PM EDT

ASHLAND — The eighth annual Fannin Automotive Family Greenup County Invitational will serve as an early season preview to the boys’ Region 12 golf tournament.

Hidden Cove Golf Course at Grayson Lake State Park is the site for both events.

Saturday’s shotgun start is 8 a.m., with 17 schools entered. Awaiting them will be a par-72 layout full of challenging holes.

“Hidden Cove offers us a championship course to play,” Greenup County coach Roger Gillum said. “It’s as nice as any public course in the state. (Course professional) Steve Kennedy is big on junior golf. He gives a lot of lessons to local kids.”

Most of the region’s teams are expected to participate Saturday, along with Franklin County, DuPont Manual and East Jessamine.

“My goal when we first started the tournament was to get the toughest teams across the state,” Gillum said. “Now the goal is to make it more of a competitive tournament for everybody.”

Montgomery County, led by junior Zach Smith, is back to defend its team title after edging Pikeville by one stroke a year ago. Pikeville’s Will Branham rolled to medalist honors with a 5-under par 67 and now is beginning his college career at Morehead State.

On Tuesday, Montgomery County’s Smith shot 70 at Griffin Gate to lead his team to a 313 round on day two of the Franklin County Invitational.

Ashland, sixth at last year’s State Tournament, sent three golfers to the college ranks but still has firepower with Nick Blankenship and Evan Cox at the top of the lineup. The Tomcats finished third in the 2011 Greenup County Invitational.

“Locally, I think Russell and Ashland will be good,” said Gillum, adding that his own team could make a run at the title.

The Musketeers rebounded from a 361 on the first day of the Franklin County Invitational to shoot 329 in the second round.

“We’re making some progress,” Gillum said.

Seniors Kadin Ashley and Layton Crump, the team’s top two players, attended Kentucky Governor’s Scholars programs this summer and just got back for the start of the high school golf season. Junior Zach Diller, sophomores Ian Cremeans and Austin Blevins, and freshman Levi Meadows are battling for the other three spots.

“I looked for us to start slow,” Gillum said. “Hopefully, we will get better and better. I’ve had some good groups in the past, and these kids are working hard. You tell them something and they listen.”

The Greenup County Invitational is popular among visiting teams for more than a competitive day of golf.

“We’ve gotten a lot of compliments on our tournament, including the food,” Gillum said. “We try to do it up well so the kids enjoy themselves.”

ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.

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