RICHMOND – Timmy Hamilton will play his final rounds of high school boys golf at a course that holds special meaning for him.

Hamilton, who graduates Sunday from Richmond High School, will play in Class 2 state competition, slated for May 17-18 at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar. He qualified for state by placing third at the Class 2 District 4 Tournament, held Monday at Shirkey Golf Course. Hamilton also helped the Spartans place second in the team standings among 14 complete teams with a 380 – 13 strokes behind district champion California.

“The driver was very good,” he said. “My approach game was also very good. My short game, it caught me a little off guard that they had rolled the greens this morning, because I was told that they were going to be the same as they were the week before; but they were just a bit firmer and everything was releasing more, and I wasn’t quite ready for that. And so, I just didn’t have as great of a short game day. But … a week of practice and that’ll be fixed up.”

Silo Ridge is “my favorite golf course I’ve ever played,” Hamilton said. While playing in a two-day tournament there, Hamilton “shot probably one of the worst rounds of my life,” he said. Weary “of being mediocre,” Hamilton finished second on the leaderboard the next day, he said.

“That was kind of my round where I said, ‘OK, this is what I want to do,’” Hamilton said.

Hamilton, who shot a 79 (+8) Monday, was one of two Spartans to qualify for state. Junior Aiden Bowman also qualified, placing ninth with an 89 (+18). Those placing among the top 18 at districts qualified.

Bowman advanced in part by playing “how I should’ve” on hole 1-9, he said. Those holes are the back nine for someone who plays an 18-hole round and starts on the first hole. In Bowman’s case, however, they were his back nine because he started on the 10th hole.

“I didn’t let up. … I stayed in that groove and I … played really well,” Bowman said.

Unlike Hamilton, a top-50 finisher at the 2018 Class 2 state tournament, Bowman is making his first appearance at state. He is “excited” to advance, he said.

“It’s going to be tougher than it was today, but … as long as I keep this play up, I’m confident that I can perform well when I get there,” Bowman said.

Bowman qualifying for state is “fantastic,” Richmond coach Murray Dennis said.

“I know he has been putting a lot of work in on his short game, and I think today … the work he’s put in paid dividends,” Dennis said.

Unlike Hamilton, Bowman is playing Silo Ridge for the first time.

“It’s going to be interesting,” he said.

Silo Ridge is a good course for Hamilton and Bowman, Dennis said.

“It’s got some demanding holes,” he said. “It’s got some holes that you can score on, but it’s also got some … holes that are going to test you. It’s going to be a good test for both of them.”

For complete district results, visit the Missouri State High School Activities Association website.