Photo by Cody Tomer
Wheeling Park’s Gavin Goodrich and the Patriots are heading to Pinehurst on Monday.
WHEELING — Winning a state championship has all the perks — a team gets a trophy and players get plaques and unforgettable memories.
In golf, however, state champs get an invitation to play at the beautiful Pinehurst Golf Resort in North Carolina.
Wheeling Park — the 2020 W.Va. Class AAA state champs — is getting that chance on Monday, where the Patriots will compete against the nation’s best.
All-staters Noah Seivertson and James Salvatori, along with Gavin Goodrich, Campbell Koegler and Owen Leary, who won a pair of state swim titles as well, will hit the links looking to add to their already illustrious careers.
“It’s probably the nicest course I’ve ever seen outside of the valley,” Salvatori said. “I know it’s going to have tight fairways. It’s going to be fun, too. It will be my last time with the underclassmen and my last high school match. Noah and I will try to end on a good note.”
Pinehurst has nine courses to offer and Park will be playing No. 7, No. 8, and No. 9.
“I’ve never really ventured outside of the valley much but this is definitely one of my bucket list courses,” Salvatori said.
In this year’s state tournament, Salvatori and Seivertson each shot 153 for all-state honors and Goodrich followed with a 167, while Koegler tallied an 86 on Day 1 and Leary supplied a 91 on Day 2.
Goodrich, who only missed all-state accolades by one stroke, is thrilled for the opportunity to test his skills on such a magnificent course.
“This is my first time going to Pinehurst and I was just using their practice facility (Friday),” Goodrich said. “All the courses look to be in great shape and Wheeling Park can’t wait to play down there.
“Courses 7, 8 and 9 are all challenging in their own ways. They set up the courses at getable lengths around 6,300-6,500 so it isn’t too challenging but the greens defend from people going really low.”
St. Marys will also be competing from West Virginia, which will put Goodrich and company right at home.
“On our first round we are playing against the kids from St. Marys so it’s always good to have another kid that you know in the group,” Goodrich said. “I think the other kids in the group are from Wyoming and Michigan.”
Goodrich and Seivertson just finished playing in the 88th West Virginia Open to help prepare for the upcoming challenge.
“The West Virginia Open made it really hard,” Goodrich said. “A lot, and I do mean a lot, of high numbers were posted. The pins were not good and on some tees it was a 260-plus-yard carry just to get it to the front of the fairway. Guys were really just in shock of how hard the course played.”
