SPRINGFIELD, Mo. • It was an ominous start to day two of the Class 4 boys golf state tournament for Francis Howell's Mike Wootten and Eureka's Ted Jones at Twin Oaks.
The two were paired in the tournament's final four, reserved for the golfers with the lowest scores after day one. Wootten was warming up on the first tee when his back swing caught Jones in the face.
"I just wanted to see what the pin was doing on nine," Jones said. "I got interested, didn't see what Mike was doing and walked right into it."
Jones suffered a deep cut on his right cheek. But Jones, who is also a hockey player for Eureka, wasn't about to let a cut stop him. A couple of Band-Aids later and Jones was ready to go.
Wootten was shaken up by the accident, but was able to calm down with some help from Jones.
"That was the worst thing that could have happened," Wootten said. "It kind of rattled me. But (Jones) made it so much easier. He said, 'I'm a hockey player, I'm all right.''
Luckily for them, the two didn't let it bother their rounds.
Wootten shot a 3-under 68 to claim the individual state title with a 75-68-143. His 68 was the lowest one-day total for the tournament.
Jones went on to have the shot of the tournament, shooting a hole-in-one on the 165-yard, par 3 No. 15. Jones used his 7-iron on the shot.
"I hit it good and straight," Jones said. "I've hit my 7-iron the straightest out of all my clubs the entire tournament. It one-hopped and went in. I got lucky."
It was the second hole-in-one for Jones, but he said he was so much younger, and smaller, when he hit the first one that he was too short to see it go in the hole. He got a great view of his latest hole in one, shot on one of the more scenic holes on the Twin Oaks course that features a lake, fountain and waterfall.
"Getting a hole-in-one, there's no other feeling," Jones said. "With all the people watching and screaming and applauding -- multiply that times 10. It wouldn't have been as special if I did it by myself."
Jones was presented with the hole's flag after his round.
