By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
By his own admission, Myles Alonzo's putting still needs some work.
Topeka West senior Myles Alonzo chips onto the 18th green in Monday's UKC tournament at Lake Shawnee. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN[
But other than that, the Topeka West star, a two-time Class 5A state medalist, appears to be at the top of his game entering the biggest meets of his senior golf season.
The city champion added the United Kansas Conference individual title to his resume on Monday at Lake Shawnee, shooting a three-over-par 73 to take a four-shot victory over Basehor-Linwood's Carson Youngblood and Piper's Brody Cook.
"If I can just start putting better my scores would be a lot lower,'' Alonzo said. "I'm hitting my irons very well and my driver so I'm right on the edge. I just need to start making my putts and I'll be good.''
Alonzo has now won three of his last five tournaments heading into next Monday's 5A regional at Cypress Ridge.
"I'm hitting my irons better than I ever have and my driver very well and I think I'm good where I'm at,'' Alonzo said.
Host Shawnee Heights stayed in the hunt for the team crown down to the end of the day, with Basehor-Linwood prevailing by three strokes (327-330) over the T-Birds while Seaman finished third (340).
Senior Jensen Crawford tied for fourth place with a 78 to lead the T-Birds while junior Logan Hahn finished seventh with an 80, senior Zack Hohman tied for 11th with an 84 and sophomore Ayden Valdivia tied for 19th with an 88 to round out Shawnee Heights' top four.
Junior Alexander Flanagan paced third-place Seaman with a sixth-place 79, while sophomore Timothy Lister tied for ninth (83), junior Bradley Williamson tied for 15th (85) and Kaleb Mack rounded out the Vikings' top four scores with a 93.
Seaman, Shawnee Heights and Topeka West will all compete in next Monday's regional meet at Cypress Ridge (9 a.m.), with competitors vying for berths in the 5A state tournament May 20-21 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton.
Topeka West senior Myles Alonzo reacts after sinking a par putt on the ninth hole of Monday's UKC tournament at Lake Shawnee. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Alonzo said he feels comfortable with both of the upcoming courses he'll be playing at.
"My confidence for regionals is very high and I expect myself to do really well because I play there almost every day and I played (at Sand Creek Station) twice last year and I love the course and I think I'll do very well there,'' Alonzo said.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
At Lake Shawnee
Team scores
Basehor-Linwood 327, Shawnee Heights 330, Seaman 340, De Soto 344, Lansing 344, Piper 355, Leavenworth 441.
Individual results
1. Myles Alonzo, Topeka West, 73; 2. (tie) Carson Youngblood, Basehor-Linwood, and Brody Cook, Piper, 77; 4. (tie) Jensen Crawford, Shawnee Heights, and Sam Bull, Lansing 78; 6. Alexander Flanagan, Seaman, 79; 7. Logan Hahn, Shawnee Heights, 80; 8. Evan Vielhauer, Basehor-Linwood, 82; 9. (tie) Blake Liniger, De Soto, and Timothy Lister, Seaman, 83; 11. (tie) Hudson Strahm, Basehor-Linwood; TJ Spurlock, DeSoto; Zack Hohman, Shawnee Heights, and Carson Strah, Basehor-Linwood, 84; 15. (tie) Bradley Williamson, Seaman; Kyle Burnett, Basehor-Linwood; Jason Edwards, Lansing, and Jason Smith, Basehor-Linwood, 85; 19. (tie) Braden Jackson, Lansing; Pierce Krehbiel, De Soto, and Ayden Valdivia, Shawnee Heights, 88.
Other Shawnee Heights -- Jasec Holladay 89, Jaxon Shove 99.
Other Seaman -- Kaleb Mack 93, Nicholas Hill 94.
Other Topeka West -- Harrison Lane 92, Brendan Komma 127.
