DES MOINES — The Ottumwa boys golf team put on a dominating performance spearheaded by Hoyt Grooms in the first half of the Metro 7 Conference tournament Thursday at Grandview Golf Course in Des Moines.
Grooms shot the lowest round of the day; finishing one over par with a 71.
“He was really solid around the green,” coach Scott Maas said.
“I really stuck it close about 100 yards out each time,” Grooms added. “I was just focused the whole time; I never thought about the score too much.”
Grooms’ performance helped the boys finish with a total score of 293, which ended up being enough to give them a 15-shot lead going into the final round of the meet in late September, which will be held at Waveland.
Des Moines Roosevelt is in second with a score of 308 and Indianola followed them with a 315.
Not far behind Grooms were three of his teammates. Matthew Walker, Dillon Patritto and Joe Wetrich all finished with a 74. Braxton Coble carded a 78 and Jacob Gardner shot a 79.
The Ottumwa linksters will put on the Ottumwa Invitational Sept. 4 at the Ottumwa Country Club.
Metro 7 Conference Tournament
At Grandview Golf Course
9/16/12
Par 70
Team scoring — 1. Ottumwa 293, 2. Des Moines Roosevelt 308, 3. Indianola 315, 4. Des Moines Lincoln 329, 5. Des Moines East 356, 6. Des Moines Hoover 384, 7. Des Moines North 432.
First round leader — Hoyt Grooms 71.
Runners-up — Matthew Walker 74, Dillon Patritto 74, Joe Wetrich 74.
Ottumwa individuals — Grooms 71, Joe Wetrich 74, Matthew Walker 74, Dillon Patritto 74, Braxton Coble 78, Jacob Gardner 79.
Top 10 — 1. Grooms (Ott) 71; 2. Britton Vanderlinden (I) 72; 3. Walker (Ott), Wetrich (Ott), Patritto (Ott), 74; 4. Blake Acri (Lincoln) 75; 5. Aaron Wirt (Roosevelt), Eddy Bauer (Roosevelt), Joe Wandro (Roosevelt) 76; 6. Adam Heater (I) 77; 7. Braxton Coble (Ott), Kolby Chupp (DM North), 78; 8. Gardner (Ott), Jake Langden (Lincoln) 79; 9. D.Moeller (I) 81; 10. Lucas Roberts (83).
