Bethlehem golf coach Chris Osborne has a smile on his face as he talks about how Lexington Christian Academy has become a searing thorn in the side of his team.
Osborne has been coaching the Eagles for seven years, and had it not been for LCA, he would have enough All ‘A’ championship rings to fill up every finger on one hand.
Lexington Christian again spoiled Bethlehem’s hopes for an All ‘A’ Classic championship Sunday, when it won its 12th title in the tournament for the small schools in Kentucky.
The Eagles from Lexington finished with a team score of 2-over-par 290 at Gibson Bay to win by 13 shots over Bethlehem. The local team was 12 shots better third place Hazard.
However, Osborne was not hanging his head over another second-place finish.
“I think they are the second-best team in Kentucky behind (defending state champion) St. Xavier,” he said. “We have played well against them all year, but they were just too good today.”
Bethlehem did beat Lexington Christian in the Lafayette 5 Star General Invitational last week, but LCA turned the tables this past weekend by winning the West Jessamine Invitational and the All ‘A’ Classic.
Seth Greenwell, who was 3-over par after seven holes on Sunday, rebounded to shoot a 73 for a tie for fourth. Miller Osborne shot a 35 on the front nine but made five bogeys on the back and finished with a 76.
Owen Horton and Kadey Puyear each carded a 77.
“We typically do not play well at Gibson Bay,” Osborne said. “We play well for a while and then hit a stretch where things don’t go our way.
Osborne was pleased to see Greenwell get untracked over the weekend. He shot a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday at Connemara Golf Course to take medalist honors.
“That was the first time all year Seth has played to the level that is he is capable of,” the coach said. “Miller has been hitting the ball well all year but hasn’t been able to get any putts to fall and that wears on you after a while.”
Osborne is giving his team off next weekend before they hope to be playing in the Kentucky Golf Coaches Association All-State Tournament. After that, they travel to Campbellsville on Sept. 22 to compete in the regional tournament.
He thinks this team has a good chance to take the title to advance to the first round of the state tournament set to be played at Maywood.
“I was telling someone that the highest score we’ve had to count this year is 78, and that is pretty good,” he said. “When you’re not counting an 80 or an 82, it you can you can be competitive.”
Osborne thinks the host Taylor County team and Adair County will also contend for the title.
He wants to take his team to Campbellsville a few times to get used to the golf course.
“It is not a hard course but you’ve got to keep the ball below the hole,” he said. “You can’t get above the hole. What has frustrated me is that it is not a difficult course but we make it difficult.”