By Barbara Palmgren
The 40th year for the Miracle Strip High Golf Tournament was held this year at Fort Walton Municipal Golf Course. This sporting tradition was organized for both high school teams and to crown an individual golfer with the lowest score for 18 holes. USGA rules governed play and spectators had to stay on cart paths or on the tree line/rough.
On a beautiful October day, the following schools sent their best male golfers to vie for honors: Choctawhatchee, Pensacola, Baker, Niceville, Crestview, Mosley (Lynn Haven), Northview (Century), Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Walton and South Walton. There were 64 girls who entered the competition.
Teams were composed of five players, using the top 4 scores for the total team score. Individual players were scored as well, using the lowest score for the winner. In golf, low scores win! After almost four hours of play, two schools emerged victorious. Destin High’s team was runner-up with a score of 319. South Walton was the winner with a score of 318. This was quite a close battle with only one point separating the second and first place winner.
But, more excitement in store! Two boys were tied for individual winner with a score of 76. So began a play-off that lasted over an hour. In most tournaments after three or four holes, one player emerges victorious. This was not to be the case today. Hole after hole, spectators watched in awe as two young men concentrated and performed as never seen in high school golf in this county. Finally, the coaches made the decision to award both players the top individual award. Another first place trophy will soon be mailed to one of the two winners; Ebner Ingram of Destin or JP Sullivan of South Walton. Their photo will show both of them with the trophy. Congratulations, boys. Well deserved!
