Jon Smith competes in 2A golf state tourney

OWENSBORO, Ky. - Clay County’s Jon Smith represented the Tigers on the state stage last week, competing in the KHSAA 2A State Golf Championship at Owensboro Country Club.

Smith finished his round with a 95, putting together a strong start before running into trouble finding fairways during a difficult stretch of the round. “He started off strong but hit a rough stretch of not hitting fairways and it hurt him,” Coach Jason Smith said. “Great experience for him though. He’s only been playing a year and a half.”

That short amount of time on the course makes Smith’s trip to Owensboro even more impressive. Despite facing a difficult course and some of the top competition in the state, Smith battled throughout his round and gained valuable experience that should only help as he continues to develop. “I’m proud of his effort down there,” Smith said. “Very difficult course that is set up for guys with a lot of experience. Jon fought hard though and represented Clay County well.”

Smith’s appearance also continued an impressive run for the Clay County boys golf program in the 2A State Championship. “He should be proud that he continued the tradition of sending someone to the 2A State,” Smith said. “This is its sixth year of existence, and we have sent individuals or a team every year.”

For a golfer still relatively new to the sport, making it all the way to the 2A State Championship is another big step forward for Smith, who will look to build on the experience gained in Owensboro.