It’s one thing to play on your home course in the biggest event of the season.
Taking advantage of playing at a facility where you have logged countless hours in the past three seasons is another story.
Jake Crosson never felt any pressure trying to cap his prep career in style at the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State championship at Elm Lake Golf Course in Columbus. Instead, the New Hope High School senior relied on the experience he gained in playing at the facility to have one of his best tournaments of the season.
Earlier this month, Crosson shot rounds of 69 and 72 to win the state title with a total of 141. Crosson’s two-round score was four shots better than second-place Hunter Logan, of Caledonia High.
Crosson’s first-round 69 was the low round for the event. That score gave him a two-shot lead and sent him on his way to winning a second-consecutive state crown. Last season, Crosson won the Class 5A State title.
“I knew from the start of the season the state tournament was going to be here, so I was really focused on the course and tried to make a game plan where I could shoot my best score,” Crosson said. “I realized that plan was just to stay patient because I got off to a pretty slow start. I just knew if I stayed patient I could make birdies on a bunch of the holes because I have played them a lot.”
Staying patient is a tall order when you’re facing high expectations playing on your home course. Getting off to a “slow” start, which had him 1-over through the first three holes, forced him to adjust. Crosson said he overcame two days in which his putting probably was the weakest part of his game. He said he knew his long game could help put him in position to make shots.
Crosson said he birdied No. 4 to get back to even, which gave him confidence to birdie two more holes prior to get to 2-under at the turn.
“From there, it kind of kick-started,” Crosson said. “I was kind of nervous at first being 1-over, but staying patient is what I needed to do.”
The performance capped a season in which Crosson earned medalist honors in eight of 12 events. His stroke average was 72.6 when the nine-hole matches were combined with the 18-hole matches. Crosson had a 72.8 stroke average in 18-hole matches.
“Jake is the most consistent golfer I have seen in the state of Mississippi over the two years I have been the golf coach at New Hope,” said Albert McBrayer, the team’s coach.
McBrayer feels Crosson, who will play golf at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, has a chance to play golf at a major college program and then on the pro circuit.
“He has the ability,” McBrayer said. “It all comes down to whether he maintains the work ethic required to reach those levels.”
Crosson’s low round in earning medalist honors was a 33 at Elm Lake Golf Club in Columbus. He twice shot 35s to earn medalist honors at Elm Lake.
Crosson actually shot a 68 in the first round, but he said he incorrectly signed his scorecard and marked a par where he had made birdie. The one-stroke penalty didn’t end of costing him on the second day, as he finished strong to hold off Logan.
“It was kind of rough at first, especially because I would have shot 68 on the first day and we would have led Corinth by one stroke,” said Crosson, referring to the team score. Corinth and New Hope were tied at 311 after the first round. Corinth shot a 320 on the second day to win the title by 17 strokes. New Hope took second with a 648. Caledonia was fourth with a 680.
Crosson said the mistake was the first time he has signed an incorrect scorecard. He said it is a lesson that won’t happen again.
On the second day, Crosson said staying patient was an even bigger challenge because he knew everyone was coming for him. He said the confidence of playing on the course helped him believe he could hang on. One of the only blemishes of the day came on No. 7, where he had a five-putt that cut his lead to three or four shots. The race for the title came down to the back side, where Crosson said he knew he had to go low because Logan was capable of shooting birdies.
“I knew the birdies would fall on the back,” Crosson said. “He kind of made a charge at the end, but I was able to last pretty good at the end and make some birdies.”
At one point, Crosson said his lead dwindled to two strokes. He bogeyed No. 17 and birdied No. 18 to close it out.
“The last three holes on the course are probably the hardest on the gold course. They have the most water,” Crosson said. “I knew I needed to play those really well because it can go bad really quick. The bogey on 17 I left myself a long way out for birdie. On No. 18, I knew I was capable of making a birdie. (Hunter) even made eagle on the last hole, but I knew I could make a birdie and that would seal it.”
The shot helped Crosson realize a goal he set at the beginning of the season. The chance to capture a championship at home made winning back-to-back state titles even sweeter.
“It was much nicer at home and in my last tournament,” Crosson said. “Walking down 18 was kind of sad, but it also was relieving because I know I have two more years at play at Gulf Coast and I am just excited about that.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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