Werner claims medalist at SEMO Conference tournament

Central's Tim Simmons checks the line of his putt on the 17th hole during the SEMO Conference tournament Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Tim Simmons tattooed a 3-wood onto the 18th green, leaving himself with a lengthy but makeable eagle putt Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club.

Simmons, a senior at Central, stood a shot behind Jackson's Tanner Werner entering the final hole at the SEMO Conference golf tournament and wanted to put some pressure on the sophomore.

"I knew I was one shot down," Simmons said. "I figured let's hit 3-wood. I don't normally go at that hole. Last year district was here and I didn't go at it. I knew I had to be close to the lead [last year], but I was just working on going to state, so I did not go at it. I figured last time we're going to play competition for high school, so let's give it a ride. I hit it very well."

Simmons' rocket found the green, putting some pressure on Werner, whose second shot landed well short and left of the green in the fairway.

Jackson's Tanner Werner, left, shakes hands with Central's Tim Simmons on the 18th green after winning the SEMO Conference tournament Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. Both players birdied the par-5 hole as Werner held off Simmons to win by a stroke. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Werner never flinched. He lobbed his approach shot onto the green, about 10 feet left of the hole.

"I knew that most likely the way he was putting the ball, he was going to two-putt because he hadn't missed a putt he stood over," Werner said of Simmons. "I just knew I needed to get back to the hole and give myself a distance where I had a chance to make it, and I did that."

Simmons' eagle putt looked like it had a chance as it neared the hole, closing within about a foot before scooting past it.

"I told myself it's going to be a lot slower than anything else on the golf course," Simmons said about the eagle putt. "Just make sure it gets there. If it doesn't get there, you don't have a chance to get to Tanner. I was one shot down so I went ahead and gave it a ride. It almost went in. I gave it a shot and that's all I could ask for."

Even after the miss, Werner needed to sink his birdie putt to win the tournament. If he missed, Simmons only would need to hole his short putt to grab a share of the medalist honors.

Central coach Dick Wadlington hands Jackson medalist Tanner Werner his first-place plaque during the awards presentation at the SEMO Conference tournament. [Click to enlarge]

"It was pretty straight," Werner said of his birdie putt. "It was uphill and there wasn't anything that was tricky about it. I hit it firm and let it go.

"If I do miss, he's got to make a little 5-foot putt to tie. There was not that much pressure on me. But I told myself just to make it and not to worry about."

Werner's putt stayed on line the entire way to the hole, falling in for a birdie and the tournament title. He finished with a two-under 70. Poplar Bluff won the team title with a 308, followed by Central (326), Jackson (332) and Notre Dame (351). Saxony Lutheran took 11th.

Jackson coach Zack Walton said Werner's demeanor allows him to remain calm, even when lining up a tournament-winning putt.

"When he gets in those pressure situations, that's just Tanner," Walton said. "He's a calm player and keeps his head on there and plays smart. I think the last hole proves it. He laid up instead of going for it, made a nice chip shot by the green to get his birdie, which is smart golf."

Jackson's Tanner Werner pitches the ball onto the 17th green during his round of 2-under-par 70. [Click to enlarge]

Simmons sank his birdie putt as well, finishing with a one-under 71.

Werner and Simmons engaged in a battle throughout the day at Dalhousie. Their first nine holes featured plenty of fireworks as Werner carded his first career hole in one on the 168-yard No. 5.

"I didn't even know it went in," Werner said. "Their reaction wasn't anything special. I didn't realize it until it went in.

"I figured it probably was within 5 feet. I went up there and nobody saw ball. I checked the hole and it was in there."

Simmons didn't manage a hole in one, but he started well and build on his momentum.

Notre Dame's Brett Slaten make a putt the green of the 18th hole during the SEMO Conference Tournament Tuesday at the Dalhousie Golf Club. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"The main thing was I hit all my wedges close," Simmons said. "Out here, if you're hitting your wedges close on the holes you can take advantage of, you're going to go pretty low. You've got to hit it in the right spots and make the putts when you get it there. I did both today. It worked out."

Simmons finished the front nine with a five-under-par 31, but a couple of errors on the back nine allowed Werner to build a lead. Simmons birdied No. 14 to pull even with Werner, and the pair was tied after Nos. 15 and 16. Werner pulled ahead by a stroke entering No. 18 to set up the exciting finish.

Poplar Bluff (308) -- Carr Vernon 74; Zack Strickler 77; Cameron West 78; Trent Hillis 79

Central (326) -- Tim Simmons 71; Cole Viers 82; Cory Connell 85; Jordan Sheets 88

Jackson (332) -- Tanner Werner 70; Brett Leimbach 84; Joe Shultz 87; Jordan Dale 91

Notre Dame (351) -- Brett Slaten 78; Joe Wiggans 87; Kurt Heischmidt 92; Jesse Schott 94

Dexter (356) -- Chance Holden 77; Jon Bowman 84; Logan Robey 91; Brenner Justice 104

Kennett (358) -- Ryan Richardson 82; Tyler Niemeier 88; Sean Calewaert 93; Justin Lynn 95

Sikeston (360) -- Dakota Trevino 84; Ben Murray 88; Evan Deere 90; Gratton Allen 98

New Madrid (391) -- Lofton Hayes 95; Brett Martindale 96; Reese Porter 100; Justin Fields 100

Doniphan (410) -- Taylor Smith 83; Mitch Granier 90; Cody Asay 106; Brennan Meyers 131

Malden (413) -- Zane Huckeby 93; Jonathon Potts 94; Chris Carpenter 105; Nick Patillo 121

Saxony Lutheran (419) -- Zach Vaeth 93; Tyler James 98; Adam Boehme 112; Eric Osborn 116

Caruthersville (438) -- Caleb Moss 82; Will Dorroh 83; Taylor Haywood 134; Bob Mehrle 139