MOUNTAIN DELL — Stuart Gold was a birdie machine Tuesday.
The Viewmont senior birdied eight holes, including five straight at one point, to earn 5A medalist honors with a combined 139 at the two-day state tournament at Mountain Dell Golf Course.
"This is a pretty good one," said Gold, who also won a national junior tournament in Florida last year. "I wanted to win this one pretty bad."
After finishing fourth as a sophomore in 2001, Gold didn't compete in last year's region or state tournaments because he missed too many classes. After a bitter conclusion to that golf season — which also included back surgery to repair a herniated disc — he vowed to shape up. Not counting the classes he missed to compete in the state tournament, Gold has near-perfect citizenship at Viewmont this year, and he was rewarded for his commitment.
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Gold began the day one stroke behind Alta's Dustin Pimm for the 5A individual title. After birdieing No. 1, Gold caught a bad break on a lay-up attempt on No. 2, and he ended up taking a double bogey.
"I wasn't concerned, I just knew I had to get some birdies going," said Gold.
He got back to even par with a birdie on No. 5. Then came the magical five-hole stretch that had everyone talking. He birdied No. 8, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11 and No. 12 — only one of which was a par 5.
"I was happy with the way he was playing, I just couldn't match him at all," said Pimm, who is Gold's friend and rival.
The two were paired together Tuesday, and with every birdie Gold sank, Pimm watched his chances at repeat medalist honors wither away.
Pimm couldn't hang his head though, he knew his Hawks were right in the thick of the team race.
Alta began the day six strokes ahead of region foes Brighton and Bingham. In reality, Brighton should've been deadlocked at 301 with Alta after the first day, but a disqualification of Bengals' ace Mike Branca forced coach Scott Revill to count a higher score.
Amazingly, that six-stroke swing turned out to be the difference.
Both Alta and Brighton fired 303s Tuesday, which gave the Hawks their first 5A state championship in school history.
"All season it's been Bingham, Brighton and Alta at our region tournaments, and it turned into the same thing here," said Alta coach Rick Dittman.
The Bengals can't help but wonder what might've been.
"I just wish we would've shot a 304 today," said Revill. "It's just unfortunate that it has to come down to a rule that doesn't fit the crime. It would be fun to have a playoff."
Fremont, Viewmont, Bingham and Cottonwood rounded out the top six.
In the individual race, it was Cottonwood's Chris Gresh — not Pimm — that finished second behind Gold after firing a 69 Tuesday, the tournament's only score in the 60s.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com