GAINESVILLE — There was no Spencer Ralston to lean on this time as the Gainesville boys golf team tried to recapture yet another Hall County Championship.
The Red Elephants, however, proved Tuesday at the Chattahoochee Golf Course that life without their former superstar should be just fine. They fired a 305, paced by four golfers making the All-Tournament team, to hold off Bartley Forrester and rival North Hall, who finished second with a 314, to win the 2017 installment, their seventh in a row.
Forrester, a junior, won his second straight individual title beating teammate Brennan Manson on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff.
"You don't replace a guy like Spencer but these guys are beginning to believe in themselves that they can win," Gainesville boys coach Bryson Worley said. "This was a great learning experience for all our guys. We have a lot of talent and depth but we can always get better."
Gainesville took a five-shot lead into the second day and got contributions throughout the lineup as four players finished with rounds in the 70s. Only two other players in the field -- Forrester and Manson -- managed to shoot below 81.
Ryan Hogan fired a second-round low 35 to finish with a 75 to lead the Red Elephants. Davis Weaver, the first-round leader, carded a 76 and AD Winston and Brody Simmons each shot 77 for Gainesville.
“The guys as a whole shot well both days,” Worley said. “Our goal is to get better every round. I was real pleased with how they performed.”
The individual medalist duel on Tuesday began with Davis holding a two-shot lead over Forrester and Manson. Forrester opened with three straight pars and Manson had five straight pars to begin while Davis ran into trouble on the Par 5 13th. Davis hooked his drive and wound up with a double-bogey while Forrester birdied the hole to take a one-shot lead at even-par.
Both Forrester and Davis bogeyed the Par 14th and Manson pulled into a tie with Forrester. Manson took a one-shot lead on the Par 5 15th with his first birdie of the day but gave it back with a bogey on the Par 3 16th.
Forrester looked poised to win his second title in regulation with a birdie on No. 17 but then missed a 10-foot par putt on No. 18 to send it to a playoff. On the second playoff hole, after both had pared No. 10, Manson’s par attempt on No. 9 rolled around and out while Forrester drained his 6-foot putt for the win.
“I knew if I played well I had a chance (to repeat),” Forrester said. “I played just well enough to win. Brennan played great and I thought our whole team played well. Gainesville was just a little bit better.”
Manson, a senior, felt on Monday it would come down the two North Hall teammates.
“I told Bartley that 72 would win it and that one of us would do it. I had a sloppy bogey on No. 16 so I had a chance. I told him he better win it next year after knocking me out like that,” Manson said.
2017 BOYS HALL COUNTY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Day Two Results
Tuesday, March 21
Chattahoochee Golf Club, Gainesville
Team
1. Gainesville, 305
2. North Hall, 314
3. Flowery Branch, 342
4. Riverside Military, 363
5. Chestatee, 376
6. West Hall, 389
7. Johnson, 408
8. East Hall, 416
9. Lakeview, 445
Individual Top 10
*1. Bartley Forrester, North Hall, 73 (won on 2nd playoff hole)
1. Brennan Manson, North Hall, 73
3. Ryan Hogan, Gainesville, 75
4. Davis Weaver, Gainesville, 76
5. Brody Simmons, Gainesville, 77
tie, AD Winston, Gainesville, 77
7. Michael Kallab, North Hall, 81
tie, Kelvin Lee, Riverside, 81
9. Connor Gillespie, Flowery Branch, 82
10. Hunter Worley, Gainesville, 84
