Last year the 3A high school championship was decided in a playoff between Wren and Blue Ridge with the Hurricane winning the title.

Don’t look now, but it might be Deja Vu all over again.

For the second straight tournament Wren and Blue Ridge golfers have won the championships at the Hurricane Invitational and the Bobcat Invitational.

In both tournaments Wren senior Dylan Park held off a charge by Blue RIdge’s Owen Kinnunen for medalist honors while the very deep Tigers were able to win the team titles.

With the win at the Bobcat, Park has now finished on top of four big tournaments this year.

He has wins at the season opening Blue Jacket Classic in Aynor, the Yellow Jacket Invitational at Brookstone Meadows, the Hurricane Invitational at Southern Oaks and now the Bobcat Invitational at Cross Creek Plantation.

The win total may be the best in the state so far this year, but even more impressive is three of the four wins have come in 36 hole, two-day tournaments.

At Cross Creek, Park trailed Kinnunen by a shot going into the final round, but after the turn he took charge of the event.

The Wren senior birdied two of his first four holes and when he eagled the par 5 14th hole he was on his way to his fourth win of the year.

“I’ve been playing really well. All parts of my game are good,” Park said. “When my putter gets going like it did today it is a lot of fun,” he said.

Last year Park was part of the Wren AAA state championship team. He had a very good year last year tying for medalist honors in three tournaments, but was unable to win any of the playoffs.

This year he is playing with more confidence because in addition to his swing coach Todd Ellison at Southern Oaks Park also is getting help with the mental part of the game.

“I’ve been working with Tami Matheny. She has been helping me build confidence and learn how to deal with disappointment and move on. I could get down on myself after a bad shot or bad round. She is helping me to get past that and have a more positive attitude about my game and it is making a difference,” said Park.

The future Winthrop University golfer is hoping for more wins in the most important tournaments of the year just ahead.

The Blue Ridge team has two wins and a runner-up finish so far this year. The team is led by last year’s state AAA individual champion Dawson Szabo and senior Kinnunen.

At Southern Oaks the two combined for a 10 -under par round that pushed the Tigers to the win.

“We have two great players and we also have four more who are developing their game and are a big part of our success,”said Blue Ridge coach Richie Stevens.

Kinnunen is a senior who Stevens has given the chance to play in the number one spot. He has responded as the entire team has to the opportunity.

“We have a team of grinders, They are good players who work really hard. I’ve been so pleased they have bought into the team concept even though golf is an individual sport,” said the coach.

After the two team leaders Stevens has seen the rest of his team take a big step up this year.

Senior Ryder Seppala has become a consistent third score to count on. While freshman Benjamin Brown has had flashes of making big contributions like he did in the final round of the Bobcat posting a 1-under par 71.

“We are working two other golfers into the lineup to get experience. Both sophomores Andrew Warden and Evan Shealy are important members of our team,” said the coach.

Both teams will play in the Super Bowl of high school golf in South Carolina when they tee off at the Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken in the Southern Cross on Friday.

When they return to high school league play, the teams will compete in important tournaments in each of the next three week.

Regional tournament play begins on Monday, followed the next Monday by Upper and Lower state qualifiers and then the next Monday the start of the 36 hole state championship tournament.

Both Park and his Wren teammates as well as the Blue Ridge golfers may have a little advantage when the state championship play begins.

The 4A championship will be played at Cross Creek.

With the confidence coming from a win and the experience of playing a championship course, it could come down to Blue Ridge and Wren once again.

Deja Vu all over again.

.

ay.