By Brian Shaw | [email protected]

The Cottonwood Colts boys golf team continued making strides during the 2022 season, placing two players at the 5A state championships where one finished in the top 36, said Cottonwood boys golf coach Greg Southwick.

“We were able to send two of our kids to state,” said Southwick. “And then one ended up doing really well for us.”

That was freshman Tommy Yates, who shot a first round 76 over his first 18 holes of golf to move into the top 24 at the state tournament. Held along the rugged, hilly course at Oquirrh Hills in Tooele Oct. 10-11, the 5A tourney is familiar to the Colts golfers—because they played it during several Region 7 matches, according to the Cottonwood coach.

For Yates, his familiarity with the course along with an unusual maturity for his age kept him in the running, added Southwick.

“His consistency kept him in contention,” said Southwick, as the freshman Yates hit for par on 10 of his first 18 holes at Oquirrh Hills, and birdied two others to go into the clubhouse at plus seven. Yates then wrapped up his first of what the Cottonwood coach believes will be many trips to state, with a 79 in the second round to finish 36th, at plus 11. The freshman only hit two double-bogeys at state, added Southwick.

Sophomore Henry Faulk spent nearly his entire summer practicing and getting better at the Cottonwood Country Club, Southwick said. Although Faulk did finish out of the places at Oquirrh Hills, the sophomore did provide some highlight-worthy moments of his own, said the coach.

“Henry played some great golf at times in the first round,” Southwick said. “But he struggled at times in the second round, and you can expect that when these kids are younger.”

Faulk wasn’t just in contention in the first round of the 5A state tournament; he was in line to contend for a medal. The sophomore birdied three holes alone in the first round and hit for par on 12 others to go into the clubhouse at plus five, with a total score of 74.

What was astounding to the Cottonwood coach was that Faulk was hitting the longer par fives with dominance—the part of his game he worked on most over the summer. “You could tell he was hitting that ball well,” Southwick said, “but then it just kind of fell apart the second round.”

In the second round, everything that was working for Faulk over the first 18 holes went wrong, as the sophomore hit six bogeys and double-bogeyed on four hole over his last 18 to finish in 52nd.

Still and all, said the Cottonwood coach, the season was a good one for both kids, and he added that he looks forward to next year. In Region 7 play the Colts just didn’t get enough bounces and rolls to go their way. An injury to their top player curtailed plans for a serious run at the region team title this year, Southwick said.

“We’re only losing one senior, and everyone else will be back next year,” Southwick said. “We’ll be fun to watch and we’re excited for the future here.”