WHS Golf

On May 19, the WHS boys golf team won the Tournament of Champions (TOC) for the first time since 2005 and just the fourth time in school history. They shot a total of 284 on the par-70 Hawk Pointe Golf Club in Washington Township, seven strokes ahead of the runner-up, Chatham. They also beat third-place finisher, Christian Brothers Academy, by nine strokes which prevented CBA from winning their fourth consecutive TOC title. 

A lot of preparation goes into such a dominating win. Coach Ryan Daly said, “[the team] got together a few days before and formulated a game plan for each hole to rehearse and visualize the type of shots [they] needed to hit.” 

Senior captain and Fairfield commit Colin Summers paved the way for the Blue Devils by shooting a stellar 7-under par with a score of 63. Summers also clinched the individual TOC for the first time in school history. Summers said, “[The win] was a culmination of the hundreds, if not thousands, of hours I have put into my game over the past several years.” 

An impressive performance by the rest of the team secured the team win for WHS. The Blue Devils also beat Hunterdon Central by 32 strokes to earn the Group 4 State Championship. 

Coach Daly said that he hopes the TOC win “will help players buy into the culture of the program which is all about making smart decisions, playing tough and playing for your teammates.”

PGA Championship and “The Match” 

The 2021 PGA Championship, held at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, was the 103rd PGA Championship. On May 23, Phil Mickelson won his second-ever PGA Championship, becoming the oldest golfer to win a major tournament at the age of 50 years, 11 months and 7 days. 

Entering the final day of the tournament, Mickelson held a one-stroke lead over Brooks Koepka. The two golfers were neck and neck up until the 10th hole when Mickelson putted in a 12-foot birdie, while Koepka bogeyed back-to-back holes. On the 18th hole, Mickelson secured the victory and his sixth major championship, tapping it in for par as he finished two strokes ahead of runners up Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen. 

Following his victory, it was announced that Mickelson and Buccaneers Quarterback Tom Brady would take on 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the fourth edition of “The Match.” On July 6, the four men will face off at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana. Previous participants of “The Match” included Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, Charles Barkley and Stephen Curry. 

The event will consist of an 18-hole course where the two teams will alternate each shot with their teammate. Many of the proceeds made during the event will be donated to multiple charities, including Feeding America.

Rodgers looks to get revenge on Brady after losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship, and DeChambeau looks to prove himself against reigning PGA champion Mickelson.