Holden shoots his way to All-State honors

NIXA -- After missing All-State honors by one stroke as a sophomore, Dexter's Chance Holden secured the honor with a 5th place finish at the MSHSAA Class 3 State Tournament Tuesday at Fremont Hills Country club in Nixa.

Holden entered the second day of competition tied for sixth after carding a 76 and his 77 on day two and 153 total was good enough to move him into a tie for 5th. The top 15 earn All-State honors.

Jon Bowman, Dexter's only other competitor at the state tournament, finished in a tie for 52nd after carding a 83 on day two to finish at 167.

"A lot of scores went up the second day," Dexter golf coach Eric Sitze said. "The pin placements were tough today, and Chance said the greens were probably the fastest he's ever putted on."

Sitze said the speed of the greens made getting up and down from around the putting surface tough and caused scoring problems.

The Fremont Hills track is a tight, tree-lined par 71-course that yielded only one score under par, that by Kearney's Ryan Zech who finished 66-73, 139 to take medalist honors. Ryan Marks shot a round of 3-under-par 68 on day two to finish in second at 147.