Travis Perry appeared in the boys’ basketball Sweet 16 for Lyon County back in the spring as a sophomore. Sunday, he appeared in the top 16 at the All A Classic State Golf Tournament.
And he will probably tell you they were both hard things to accomplish.
Perry overcame a stubborn wedge and fast greens at Richmond’s Gibson Bay Golf Course to post a 5-over 77. Making the round even more interesting was a brief rain shower that popped up after the turn and the presence of assistant coaches from Virginia and Stanford who would like to see one of the state’s top basketball prospects choose their program for his hoops future. One talked with Perry before the round and the other afterward. But both got to see Perry keep his composure and grind out his best career finish at the All A State Tourney.
Perry struck the ball well the entire round. However, approach shots would either just miss the green or land on the green only to bounce off. That left him with a disagreeable chipping game that left him with longer putts than he wanted.
“I hit it really well and my driver the way I wanted. I made some good chips but around the green, I was a little sloppy. But, I finished strong and had some fun,” Perry said.
Perry made the turn at 41 as a light rain began to fall. The rain appeared to soften the greens and help with his short game. Perry was two-over par after the first five holes of the back nine but birdied two of his final four holes, including a chip-in on the par-3 17th hole. He shot even-ar on the back nine and finished with a round of 77.
He finished seven shots behind the winner, McKean Collins of Lexington Christian Academy. Perry shot an 11-over 83 last year and finished in 44th place.
