HENRYVILLE — Augusta National has its famed “Amen Corner” to sometimes trip up golfers who were having solid rounds.
Late Thursday morning and early afternoon, Champions Pointe had its own version of Amen Corner for Columbus North. The Bull Dogs were derailed by some big scores on Holes 7, 8 and 9, and that made much of the difference in their season coming to an end.
North finished with a 318 team total to take sixth in the Providence Regional, 11 shots out of the third and final state qualifying spot. Center Grove (295), Bloomington South (300) and Franklin (307) were the team qualifiers.
“Unfortunately, we just made some big numbers on 7, 8 and 9,” Bieker said. “If they kind of hang in on those three holes and make a couple better swings, we’re right there with (Franklin). I’m disappointed not to be playing next week. I think this team, they just didn’t quite believe probably that they could do it, and we just couldn’t quite get them over the hump.”
The Bull Dogs carded a 160 on the front nine and were in sixth place when all the teams had made the turn. Although they improved on the back nine, they couldn’t gain any ground on the teams ahead of them.
“We made a little bit of run in the middle of the round, but a couple shots got away from us, and we had dug ourselves too big of a hole early,” Bieker said. “It was a little bit of pressure early. We weren’t real focused early, and against a good field, you just can’t afford to make those mistakes.”
North junior Luke Schneider was in the running for an individual qualifying spot for most of the day. He finished with 78, four shots out of the fifth and final individual spot.
“Toward the end of the season, I’ve fallen into kind of a slump where my swing has gone elsewhere,” Schneider said. “I just haven’t been confident standing over the ball. But I found something out there for a couple holes.”
Schneider had things going his way early. He chipped in for par on No. 4 and chipped in for eagle on No. 6 to get back to even par. He bogeyed No. 9 to shoot 37 on the front, then had a 41 on the back.
“I chipped in twice, so I had some good luck, but I didn’t hit the ball well at all,” Schneider said. “I wasn’t too upset about the front side, but it kind of went downhill on the other side.”
Three other Bull Dogs — seniors Jacob Niedbalski and Luke VanDeventer and sophomore Tyler Wilks shot 80. Sophomore Jack Schiavello added an 84.
“Niedbalski and VanDeventer have had great careers for us,” Bieker said. “Tyler Wilks, in his first regional, to hang in there and shoot 80 was really good, and Schiavello had it going and had one little slip-up on the back. For those guys as underclassmen to kind of help lead us down here in the regional bodes well for the future.
“I’m proud of this team and proud of the effort that they gave today,” Bieker said. “The seniors, Niedbalski and VanDeventer, both battled all the way to the end. They didn’t give up. They didn’t quit. They’re terrific young men and terrific golfers, and they’ll be a help to their college teams.”
Niedbalski is headed to St. Francis, and VanDeventer is headed to Vincennes. Schneider, Wilks and Schiavello will return next season.
“It’s really tough,” Schneider said. “Me and the team have worked our butts off this year to get here. We all haven’t played the best, but we put in a lot of work this offseason, so it’s super disappointing to not have it work out, but I know we’ll be back, and it’s not going to be the same result.”
