HUNTINGTON — Parker and Carson O’Dell were concerned about their dog, which just had surgery, and eager to return home to check on him.
Maybe that’s why the brothers and their Hurricane High School teammates made quick work of the field in the Duke Ridgley Invitational on Monday at the Guyan Golf & Country Club course.
Parker O’Dell shot a 1-under-par 70 and Carson O’Dell fired a 75 to lead the Redskins to their first victory at the Ridgley tournament, named after late The Herald-Dispatch sports editor Duke Ridgley. Isaac Hayes carded a 77 and Bryce Davis an 82 to back the O’Dells as Hurricane shot 222.
George Washington finished at 230, Gallia Academy (Ohio) 232, host Cabell Midland 233, Ironton 233, Winfield 234, Montgomery County (Kentucky) 238, Wahama 238, George Washington B 247, Montgomery County B 247, Fairland (Ohio) 258, George Washington C 261, Parkersburg South 262, Parkersburg 263, Cabell Midland B 265, Gallia Academy B 266, Spring Valley 276, Huntington High 289, Fairland B 290, Wayne 309 and Chesapeake (Ohio) 351.
“The putter was on fire,†Parker O’Dell said. “I dropped a couple of 20-plus-footers in. That was helping a lot. Hitting fairways, which hasn’t been my game recently. I was pretty solid everywhere.â€
So was Carson Blankenship. The Ironton (Ohio) senior fired a 69 to earn medalist honors, a day after he placed fourth in the Ashland (Kentucky) Invitational on Monday at the Bellefonte Country Club.
“I putted very well and hit a lot of fairways out there,†said Blankenship, who played the 6,523-yard Guyan course for the fourth time. “I played really well.â€
Hurricane coach Sam O’Dell said he was pleased to win the event, especially after being tabbed as favorite.
“It’s definitely good,†Sam O’Dell said. “I don’t know if we’re as deep as we were last year, but we left some kids home who were battling for that fourth spot. We’re three-strong because it’s the three kids who’ve played tournament golf for a while. You can understand that. We have three right behind them who are coming strong.â€
Hurricane has been near the top of the Ridgley standings in recent seasons, joining defending state champion Cabell Midland, George Washington, Fairland and Winfield as strong contenders.
O’Dell said it was gratifying to win the Ridgley, the first prominent tournament of the year in West Virginia. Ohio and Kentucky teams had already begun play.
“Usually, the best team wins here,†Sam O’Dell said. “The greens are so tough. The chipping’s tough. The rough was hard today. The course is in really good shape.â€
Carson O’Dell’s 75 was good enough to make the all-tournament team along with his brother, Blankenship, Cabell Midland’s Carson Sergent (75), George Washington’s Lee Willard (74), Winfield’s Gavin Martin (71), Montgomery County’s Owen Letcher (74), Gallia Academy’s Cash Jones (75) and Wahama’s Grant Roush (75).
“I played solid,†Carson O’Dell said. “It wasn’t easy. I made a few mistakes, but overall, it was a good round.â€
Several of the teams return to action Wednesday at a tournament at the Glade Springs Resort in Daniels. On Thursday, George Washington serves as host for the Maddox Potter Capital City Classic at the Edgewood Country Club in Sissonville.
The Potter tournament is named for the late GW golfer who died of cancer in January.
“We wanted to do something special to honor Mad Dog,†Patriots coach B.J. Calabrese said. “His parents wanted to help with funding the tournament, and we asked the WVGA and WVSSAC about naming it after him. They were very supportive. It’s going to be very emotional Thursday.â€
