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SAVANNAH, Ga. — The Benedictine golf team secured a commendable third-place finish at the Class AAAA state championship, which took place at the Savannah Golf Club on Tuesday.
Entering the final day of competition, Benedictine faced significant challenges, trailing by 23 strokes and holding the fourth position behind the first-day frontrunner, Cartersville.
Competing in their hometown, known as the Hostess City, may have added an extra layer of pressure for the Cadets.
“There’s always that expectation,” admitted Bear Dollander, a junior on the Benedictine golf team. “People were saying we were expected to win. That certainly adds pressure. Being labeled as the favorite can be tough. It definitely increases the pressure on us.”
Dollander continued, “We started preparing two weeks ahead, and everyone kept saying, ‘We have to win state, we have to win state.’ That pressure showed in the first nine holes. On the first day, you could see we were all a bit shaky, rattled, and nervous. The first tee was extremely quiet, and we were very anxious going in. The expectation to win is always tough to handle.”
Cartersville finished 14 shots over par, while Benedicinte was 34 strokes over par, two strokes worse than second-place finisher North Oconee.
On the individual side, Brodie Brumlow from Cartersville took home the top prize. Dollander finished fourth at +3. Benedictine’s Jack Weeks shot seven shots over par.