Gulf Breeze girls win Miracle Strip Tournament

By RANDY DICKSON

randyd@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH — It was the day of the Dolphins at the Miracle Strip Invitational Golf Tournament on Thursday.

It was also the day of the local players in the boys’ individual battle.

Kristen Dorsey shot a 78 to lead Gulf Breeze’s girls to a 337 total and a 4-stroke victory over Niceville.

Zach Primavera and Jordan Massey each shot 72 as the Mosley Dolphins had four players in the 70s on their way to a 297 total in the boys’ event. Choctawhatchee was second with a 304.

The Indians were led by freshman Brandon Jowers, who tied Rocky Bayou Christian’s Sean Einhaus with the low round of 68. The Knight senior took medalist honors in a scorecard playoff.

“It was fun,” Jowers said. “I made a lot of putts. I hit a lot of greens.

“I had a real good time out there. It was very windy, but the greens held the ball very well and I could spin it a lot.”

Jowers was a little surprised by his career low, but in some ways it wasn’t unexpected.

“I’ve been playing really well in the last couple of tournaments before this one,” he said. “I just told myself to trust my swing.

“This puts a lot of confidence in me. I feel like I can do this again every time. It’s a really good feeling.”

The 68 might have been a surprise for Jowers, but for Einhaus, an exchange student and a veteran of European tournaments, it was another day at the office.

“It was good,” Einhaus said. “I played all right the front nine, but I missed a couple of putts on the back side.

“I shot even on the back side, which is kind of disappointing.”

Einhaus was pleased with his putting, saying he made several 10-footers and was consistent as well with the 4-to-5 foot putts.

The windy afternoon conditions didn’t bother him either.

“If anything the wind helped,” he said. “We weren’t playing into it and it helped shorten some of the par-5s.”

Rocky Bayou coach Rich Grote wasn’t surprised by Einhaus’s effort.

“Sean’s one of the premier amateur players in Europe,” Gross said. “He represented Germany on the Junior Ryder Cup last year.

“He’s an outstanding player, so I was pretty much expecting this.”

Haley Millsap of Pace took medalist honors in the girls’ tournament with a 74. Niceville’s Ana Garcia was second with a 76. The two also finished 1-2 last year.

Although the rain that some coaches expected never came, Mosley boys coach George Primavera told his team to be prepared for anything and that mentality paid off.

“We knew conditions were probably going to be tough today with the wind and the rain coming in,” he said. “We just told our boys to take each hole and stroke one at a time.

“We told them to play in the conditions, whatever they might be, and don’t get yourself in trouble.”

Windy conditions aside for the girls, the biggest challenge facing Gulf Breeze was Niceville.

“It wasn’t our best showing,” Dolphin coach Mark Kostic said. “We can shoot a lot better than that.

“The first nine they didn’t shoot too well, but they did better on the last nine. Niceville was in the lead by something like eight strokes and then our girls came through on the back nine.”

Niceville coach Mitch Inness knew the Eagles would have their hands full with the Dolphins.

“I said coming in the other day that Gulf Breeze had to be the favorite” he said. “They are the defending champion, and they added a pretty solid freshman.

“But we’re no slouches either. Any day, we can come out here and beat anybody. I’m just proud of the way our girls hung in there and played.”