By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Rylan Wotherspoon nearly became the first Northern Kentucky golfer to win the boys state high school tournament since 1982 on Wednesday, but the Cooper junior lost in a playoff for the title.
Wotherspoon and Jay Nimmo of Marshall County both finished with a 36-hole total of 3-under 141, so it became a head-to-head showdown for the championship trophy at Bowling Green Country Club.
Nimmo, who won last year’s state tournament, sank a par putt on the first hole of the playoff to take the title once again. Wotherspoon bogeyed the extra hole.
In the final round, Wotherspoon made the birdie putt he needed on the par-5 18th hole to finish with a two-day total of 141 that was one stroke better than Peyton Purvis of Paducah St. Mary, who was the early leader in the clubhouse.
After getting a double-bogey on No. 15 in that final round, Wotherspoon shook off the setback and got two pars and a birdie on the last three holes to move to the top of the leader board.
But there were still two golfers on the course who had a shot at the title. Nimmo moved into a tie for first place by carding three pars and a birdie on the final four holes to force the playoff.
The only previous boys state golf champions from Northern Kentucky were Ray Hoffman of St. Henry in 1945 and Bruce Oldendick of Boone County in 1984. It looked like Wotherspoon would join that list after shooting 4-under 68 in the first round on Tuesday and 1-over 73 in the final round on Wednesday, but he ended up with the runner-up trophy.
Justin Gabbard of Highlands fired a 4-under 68 in Wednesday’s final round and tied for fifth place with a 143 total. Ian Ash of Covington Catholic tied for eighth place with a 148.
Louisville Trinity won the boys team title with a two-round total of 614. Highlands placed sixth at 661 and St. Henry placed ninth at 675.
Wotherspoon entered the state tournament on top in the point standings used to decide the annual Mr. Kentucky Golf award. He finished fourth in the standings last year to earn first-team all-state honors. He was second-team all-state as a freshman.
Complete results for the boy state golf tournament are posted here.