Oakton Golfer Misses States by One Stroke

With three golfers from the Oakton team qualified to play in the Northern Region tournament last week, the Cougars had a good shot at sending one of them to the state tournament.

But luck did not favor the Cougars, as junior Ho Jae Lee fell short of qualifying for states by just one stroke.

"There were a number of holes where the ball was mere millimeters from dropping," said head coach Chris Craddock of Lee, who shot a 78 both days of the tournament. "It was just a hard second day. It seemed like on Day 2, the balls were stopping just before the holes. I was just looking at some of them being like, 'Come on! Just roll in!' But it doesn't always work out that way."

Senior Jackson Lizardo and junior John McGuinness also qualified for the regional tournament. Lizardo shot a 79 the first day and an 87 the second; McGuiness shot a 79 and 84.

"In the midst of their frustration, these guys were still positive and working hard throughout their tough second day," Craddock said.

As heartbroken as Craddock felt for his golfers, he remains optimistic about their futures in golf.

Though he does not have set plans yet, Lizardo is currently looking to play golf at the college level.

"He's got a bright future in golf and college, so I'm looking forward to what he'll do there," Craddock said.

Craddock is excited to see Lee and McGuinness play their senior years at Oakton, as he sees them as forces to be reckoned with next year.

"Mark my words, Ho Jae and John are going to be two of the better golfers next year in the district, even the state," Craddock said. "I've just seen how hard they work, and they're only going to get better."