Warhorses chip in for win over West Lincoln

Owen golf finds its stroke on home course

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 13, 2024

The Owen golf team continued to find its stroke, March 12, as the Warhorses defeated West Lincoln, 327 - 344, at the Black Mountain Golf Course.

Owen improved to 7-7 with its second home victory this month.

Led by head coach John Knight, in his 28th season at the helm, the Warhorses opened the season with a busy non-conference schedule that began in February. Starting the season as early as possible helped the team navigate unpredictable weather while exposing all eight players on the roster to strong competition, according to the coach.

“This is the first time we’ve played matches in February, but we played two because I wanted these guys to understand what was coming,” Knight said. “That actually helped us out quite a bit, because we’ve had strange weather early in the season. It’s either been really good or awful, and what we’ve seen so far has been a pattern that keeps us from practicing but clears up on match days.”

Owen opened its campaign with a victory over Enka in Black Mountain, but followed that showing with a last place finish in Deerbrook, where they faced Shelby, West Lincoln, Polk and Cherryville. The Warhorses kicked off the month of March with a successful return to their home course, outdueling McDowell, 326 - 380.

The team rebounded from a fourth place finish at Marion Lakes with second place showing, March 11, while hosting a Western Highlands Conference match.

“They’re playing pretty good golf to start the season,” Knight said of his team. “This first part of the season has been a good experience for them, playing some tough courses on the road and facing challenging competition.”

The Warhorses are led by sophomore Carson Murphy, a three-time medalist this season who shot 73 against West Lincoln. Junior Colton Lunsford, who recorded a season-best score of 78 in the match, has emerged as a reliable second option for Owen.

“Carson and Colton play golf or practice all year,” Knight said. “If you drive by the golf course, at least one of them is out there playing.”

Junior Josh VanGorder brings additional experience to the roster, which is filled out by returning golfers Malachi Harrin, Quinn Graham and Ryland King. They’re joined by newcomers Caden Mobley and Jack Wesley Burk.

“We have a range of experience on this roster,” Knight said. “Carson, Colton, Malachi, Quinn and Ryland all played for us last year, and our first-year players are doing well, especially considering they’re new to the sport. At this point, we really need to work on being more consistent.”

Ball control is key, he added.

“Our short game, chipping and putting, is something we’ll work on all season,” Knight said. “Knowing your ball flight off the tee and putting it in play can make our entire season. Most of the courses we play in the conference, you can’t spray the ball all over the place, you have to control your shot.”

Owen’s skills will be tested in the coming weeks, beginning at 1 p.m., Monday, March 18, when the Warhorses travel to Silver Creek Golf Course in Morganton for the first of three consecutive conference matches on the road.

“We’re in a very competitive conference, with Mitchell as the reigning 1A state champion,” Knight said. “But, if we finish second, which I believe is a reasonable goal for us, we can earn a trip to regionals.”

Achieving that goal will require steady improvement throughout the roster, the coach added.

“At this point, we’ve played enough matches to understand what we need to do,” Knight said. “We have to hope the weather stabilizes and we can get our practices in and stay the course.”

Photos of Owen golf hosting West Lincoln at the Black Mountain Golf Course can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.