Platte-Geddes senior Brody Boltjes competed in the final golf event of his high school career this week in Brookings at the Country Club, and he capped it off by winning the individual state championship. His score of +8 gave him a one stroke victory over Bennett Cassens of Faulkton.
Coming down the stretch of the final few holes, Boltjes said his goal was to stay focused on his own game the best he could.
“I didn’t really know what was going on. I knew the crowd was tensing up a little bit, so I knew it was probably pretty close,” Boltjes stated. “I had heard the final group was struggling a little bit, so I just knew that I had to put my best foot forward.”
When he got to the 18th green, he understood that each stroke carried heavy value.
“I was trying to make the putt and not make a fool of myself and I hoped that I could put up the best score possible that I could,” explained Boltjes. “Hope for the best, sometimes that’s what you’ve got to do in golf.”
After scoring Par on the final hole, all Boltjes could do was wait for the final group to finish and hope for the best. At this point, he held a two-stroke lead, which meant Faulkton’s Bennett Cassens would have needed an Eagle on No. 18 to force a sudden death playoff. Cassens did make Birdie on the final hole, but it wasn’t enough to tie Boltjes.
“Finally, all the work paying off,” said Boltjes excitedly. “I’m not playing any college after this, so just kind of that surreal feeling that it’s all over and being graduated and that.”
As a team, Platte-Geddes finished second. Chester Area’s Chase McDonald chipped in a Birdie on the final hole to secure the team state championship for the Flyers with a two-stroke lead.
