North Duplin’s Isaac Davis waits for his playing partners to wrap up action on hole No. 10 at Goldsboro Golf Course during the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A mideast regional. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Gavin McClenny watches his tee shot on No. 11 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Gavin McClenny gets ready to putt on hole No. 10 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin freshman Carson Barwick watches a playing partner hit out of the rough on No. 10 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. Barwick qualified for the season-ending state tournament after shooting an 87 in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A mideast regional. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Nathan Grantham tees off on No. 11 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Billy McCoy watches his tee shot on No. 11 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. (Rudy Coggins|mountlivetribune.com)
North Duplin freshman Carson Barwick managed to place this ball onto the green at No. 10 after his tee shot landed in pine cones and pine straw at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin senior Billy McCoy chooses his club before teeing off at No. 11 during the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A mideast regional at Goldsboro Golf Course. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Nathan Granthan lines up his putt on No. 10 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
North Duplin’s Isaac Davis watches his tee shot on No. 11 at Goldsboro Golf Course on Monday morning. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
GOLDSBORO — Carson Barwick assured himself of a few more practice rounds at Southern Wayne Country Club this week.
The North Duplin freshman carded an 87 at Goldsboro Golf Course and punched his ticket to next week’s N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championships.
“Carson leads by example,” said Rebels head coach Kevin Anderson. “He has put in a lot of work and deserves all of the success he has achieved.”
What could have been a disastrous start in the Mideast Regional turned into a memorable day for Barwick. His tee shot on No. 10 landed between some trees.
Instead of moving the ball, which was almost buried among pine cones and pine straw, Barwick took time to consider his choices.
He grabbed a club from his bag, steadied his feet and muscled a low, line-drive shot onto the sloping green. Seconds later, he dropped in his putt and breathed a sigh of relief.
Once he completed his 18-hole round and watched the leaderboard, Barwick emerged as just the third North Duplin linkster in the past decade to advance to the state finals. Hunter Brock made the trip in 2015, while Matt Coltren made appearances in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
The Rebels posted a four-player team score of 386.
Gavin McClenny and Billy McCoy each carded a 99, while Nathan Grantham shot 101. Isaac Davis also participated.
“The team has improved so much since the first day of practice,” Anderson said. “They are all outstanding young men who love the game of golf and I am excited about the future of golf at North Duplin.”
Rosewood junior Aaron Ingram claimed the Mideast Regional individual crown with a 2-over-par 74. The Eagles logged a team score of 354 and will make their seventh trip to the state championships since 2011.
North Moore won the team title with a 330, while East Wake Academy finished six strokes behind Rosewood.
All three teams will play in the two-day, 36-hole championships scheduled next Monday and Tuesday at Pinehurst No. 6.
