Whittington rises to challenge

PLYMOUTH, Ind. — Former Creston state champion golfer Carson Whittington thrives under pressure.

The Kirkwood Community College sophomore was at his best when the pressure and circumstances said otherwise.

Whittington placed second at the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division II national tournament last week at the Swan Lake Resort - Black Course in Plymouth, Indiana.

Whittington and South Mountain, Arizona’s Justin Warren tied at 6-under-par 282 after the four-day tournament. Warren would go on to win in the second hole of sudden death.

“I like to use nerves to my advantage,” said Whittington, who was a part of Creston’s state championship team in 2013 and was the Class 3A individual champion in 2014. “I always like put more pressure on myself. I feel better when there’s more pressure, when there’s more on the line.”

Chasing history

Whittington nearly became the first Creston graduate to win a national title in an individual sport. Creston has had three runners-up in the NCAA and NJCAA wrestling tournaments.

T.J. Redding was a 2006 national champion at Kirkwood. He played his first three seasons of high school golf before winning a state title at Mount Ayr in 2004.

Whittington found himself in a perilous spot to start the day, sitting eight shots back of leader Marco Maldanado of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, who was at 10-under par (208). Connor Klein, of South Mountain (Arizona) was second at 6-under par (210) while Warren was third at 2-under par (216).

Whittington was in the pairing with Maldanado and Klein.

“I had some ground I had to cover,” Whittington said.

Whittington knew he had to do what he could do, starting by putting together a great 18 holes.

“Going into the last day eight back, I was just thinking posting a good score,” Whittington said. “Being eight back, it’s not something I really expected, to jump up and win.

The Creston product rose to the occasion.

“Slowly throughout the day, I was gaining ground,” Whittington said.

Whittington’s improvement started with better play on the front nine. Whittington had his first under-par front side, posting a 2-under par 34. He was three back after nine holes.

Whittington’s putter caught fire, more so than it had all week.

“My putting the day before was really, really good,” he said. “I felt like I was due for something to fall. Some started falling. I played the front nine much better.”

He had a familiar face watching him on the front side in Kirkwood assistant coach Dalton Stevens.

“It helped a lot,” Whittington said. “Coach Stevens walked with me whole front nine. I was able to get off to a good start.”

Whittington headed to the side of the course that suited his game well all four days, the back. Stevens was there beside him all the way.

“I had been playing back really well,” Whittington said. “I got it rolling. He stayed with me all for all 18 holes.”

Whittington tapped in for birdie on 10, putting him two back. He drained a 6-foot birdie on 13, putting himself in a tie for the lead.

He birdied 14 to go to 5-under par. With two holes to play, Whittingham was one back at 4-under par.

Clutch birdie

It all came down to the 18th.

Whittington piped his drive on the par-5 18 down the middle left-center. It left him with a birdie putt, the biggest of his career.

“I knew I needed a birdie to give myself a chance,” Whittington said.

While Whittington was as cool as the other side of the pillow, Maldando wasn’t. Maldanado four-putted to not only lose the championship, but fall out of the playoff.

“I think the pressure got to him maybe a little bit,” Whittington said.

Whittington and Klein were tied, leading to sudden death.

But before the playoff could begin, Mother Nature had other plans. A 20-minute rain delay forced the players off the course.

The weather-delay didn’t help Whittingham at all.

“I wish we would’ve went right into playoff,” Whittington said. “It was an advantage for me to play in the rain. I play better in tougher conditions.”

Besides the individual playoff, Whittington knew there was more golf ahead. Kirkwood was tied for second with Tyler Junior College, meaning there would be a playoff for that as well.

“I knew I had quite awhile left on the course,” Whittington said.

Whittington misfired on his tee shot on the first playoff hole. His second shot ended up in a bunker. On his third, the sand shot went 10-12 feet past the hole.

Warren had a putt for eagle for the title. Warren’s putt just missed out, leaving all the pressure on Whittington.

“I knew I had to make it, that’s for sure,” Whittington said.

He did, leading to a second playoff hole.

On the second playoff hole, Whittington went a little too far right, leaving himself with no chance to go for the green in two. His layup shot was in a good spot, but he still had to drain the birdie putt to force a third playoff hole.

His putt was on line, but it just lipped out on the low side.

Team playoff

After the individual tournament was finished, it was back to the 18th tee again for Whittington, this time for the team playoff. The five golfers were split up into two groups. Whittington was joined by one teammate, while the other three were in the next pairing.

Kirkwood had an eagle, three birdies and a par to win the team playoff.

“The team playoff there was awesome,” Whittington said. “That was awesome.”

Closing strong there made for a fun end to the tournament.

“I’m glad we went out like that,” he said. “It was fun. It was sweet watching three freshmen make putts they had to make. It was awesome. There was nothing better.”

As for the future, Whittington still hasn’t decided that.

“I’ll put the clubs away for a few days, recover mentally and see how the summer goes.”

He plans on playing some tournaments this summer.

It enters the summer season on a thrilling high.

“It’s a big confidence booster,” Whittington said. “To go out and shoot my low tournament round on the last day of nationals when I had to gives me all the confidence in the world going into this summer.

“I definitely have confidence.”