In the game with ... Churchland golfer Ryan Phelps

PORTSMOUTH

Churchland golfer Ryan Phelps doesn't sugarcoat his assessment of his play at last year's Group AAA state tournament.

Phelps, then a junior, shot an 86-90-176 - 34 over par at Waterfront Country Club in Moneta.

"I kind of felt embarrassed after shooting those scores," Phelps said last week.

Phelps' struggles can be easily explained, though. The course is nearly 6,700 yards, longer than many courses a high school student would play. The tournament winner shot 6 over.

Also, Phelps leaves unmentioned that he was making history just by being there. Before him, no Eastern District golfer had qualified for the state tournament since 2002.

"Go up there in the mountains, it's a totally different type of game," Churchland coach Billy Kline said. "The course is nothing but hills, side lies, uphill lies."

This year the Oct. 11-12 state tournament is closer to home at Suffolk's Nansemond River Golf Club, a flatter course that Phelps is more familiar with.

Phelps is using his struggles from last year as motivation to get back. He's spent almost every day since then on the course, even going out in the winter "if there wasn't frost on the ground."

Now he's a captain on a team that will be a contender for its fourth straight district title. The district tournament is Sept. 28-29 at Bide-A-Wee and Ocean View.

"He's turned into a 10-month out of the year player," said Kline, noting that Phelps gave up baseball when he was a freshman. "That's how you're going to compete and do well in any sport. But he's done a lot of it on his own."

The two-time defending district individual champion, Phelps should again contend for that title and qualify for the Eastern Region tournament, Oct. 4-5 at Nansemond River.

To qualify for the state tournament, again he'll likely need a region score around 150. He shot 153 in the region last year at Sleepy Hole.

Phelps insists he learned from last year's state tournament, primarily how to maintain focus and move on after bad shots.

And, perhaps buoyed by a birdie on his final hole last year in Moneta, he's hungry to make sure those bad shots are at a minimum this year.

"I worked hard to get there last year," Phelps said. "So hopefully it'll be the same this year and I'll do a little better scores."