Havelock senior wins regional in sudden-death playoff

GOLDSBORO - Havelock's Jennifer Crow experienced the thrill of her high school golfing career Monday.

The senior won the 1A/2A/3A Eastern Regional golf tournament at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course.

"I'm on cloud 5,000 right now," Crow said. "I got off the course, and I couldn't even talk."

Crow edged out Amanda D'Ostroph from Union Pines in a sudden-death playoff to earn match-medalist honors. Both golfers finished with a 6-over par score of 78 to force the playoff. Crow saved par on the first hole to advance as the East Region's No. 1 seed in next Monday and Tuesday's state tournament at Foxfire Golf and Country Club in Pinehurst.

"She's been working toward this," Havelock golf coach Phil Buzzelli said. "She's had some heartbreaks in the past regionals. She'd been in the top 10, but never close to this."

Crow struggled in the early-going of Monday's tournament. She was 3-over par after the first three holes.

"I think, when I started, I was still trying to get used to the atmosphere," she said.

On her 18^th hole, Crow sunk a 20-foot putt. She didn't know it at the time, but that shot forced the sudden-death playoff.

 "I was basically praying to my ball at that point," she said. "The only thing I wanted to do on the last hole was finish good."

The sudden-death playoff was played on Goldsboro's No. 1. Admittedly, Crow was a little anxious prior to teeing off on the par-5.

"When we first stepped up to tee box, obviously the nerves were going," she said. "But I just told myself to relax. There wasn't anything really on the line."

Crow was the lone Havelock golfer to compete in the regional. She finished sixth in the tournament as a sophomore.

Last year, Crow placed seventh in the state. She has a loftier goal this year.

"My biggest goal is definitely to win it," she said. "But, realistically, I at least want to be in the top five."

Jess Huffman can be reached at (252) 635-5669 or at jhuffman@freedomenc.com.