Aiden Johnson, a Harlan High School senior, finished in a tie for ninth out of over 90 golfers from around the state gathered at Wasioto Winds Golf Course in Pineville for the Whitley County Invitational Golf Tournament.
Johnson finished the front nine holes in the top five of all golfers, shooting one over par with a 37. Heavy thunderstorms moved into the region saturating the course and delaying play for over two hours. Weather and delays saw almost half of the field withdraw from competition and head home. The remaining 48 players finished nearly eight hours after teeing off that morning. Johnson ended the day shooting an impressive 78 to tie for ninth.
“I am very proud of Aiden for toughing out the weather and course conditions today. It would have been very easy for him to chalk up his losses and call it a day. He kept his focus, understood the course was going to be very soggy, and still played with confidence,” Harlan coach Jeremy Lee said. “If today’s conditions would have been normal, I think it would’ve been one of Aiden’s lowest-scoring rounds.”
Johnson and the Dragons will be back in action Monday with Pine Mountain Golf Conference action at Woodlake Country Club in Tazewell, Tenn.