Bounds conquers wet course at Northwood Junior Classic

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
June 17, 2004
Clay Bounds weathered more than just the weather on Wednesday.
The Meridian native overcame three late bogeys and hot, humid conditions to win the Northwood Junior Classic at Northwood Country Club. Bounds shot a 73 on Wednesday, tying him for the low round of the day and giving him a two-round total of 144.
After finishing with a one-over 36 on the front nine, Bounds evened his score with a birdie on the par-3 11th hole and coasted through much of the back stretch. But the hot, soggy course caught up with Bounds, who scored three straight bogeys beginning on No. 15.
Bounds recovered and finished his win with a birdie on the 313-yard, par-4 18th.
But according to Bounds, it wasn't the most important hole during his round.
Bounds' birdie on the 343-yard, par-4 8th was the second in a string of eight bogey-free holes that helped him edge out Joshua Ivy of Quitman, who also shot 73 on Wednesday.
Ivy shaved a stroke off his Tuesday score of 74, finishing three strokes behind Bounds at 147. Ivy finished second overall and first in the 16-18-year-old division.
Ivy, who picked up birdies on No. 9, No. 14 and No. 17, said the 3,100-yard course played unusually long. Strong rains delayed the tournament for about 45 minutes on Tuesday morning, but play eventually resumed. Golfers struggled, though, walking the course in the hot, muggy air.
Ivy's round on Wednesday was aided by one of just two birdies scored on No. 17 during the two-day tournament.