Jaxon Donaldson was back on the medal stand at the State Championship golf tournament for the second time in his young high school career. Last year’s 4A UIL State Champion finished this year with a silver medal after shooting a 67 and a 75 at the championship tournament held at Legends Golf Course in Kingsland last week.
“I had expectations this year,” Donaldson, who is a sophomore at Wimberley High School, said. “Last year, I had no idea what to expect, but this time around I had expectations and higher standards than what I did last year. I think I met those expectations. It is hard to win twice. Last year my goal was to be in the top 5. This year it was to be on the podium, and I achieved that.”
Argyle won the state championship as a team led by Gavin Lane, an Oklahoma State University commit who Donaldson beat in the state championship last year. Lane shot a 66 on the second day of the tournament to win by six strokes and setting a 4A state record for the lowest cumulative score.
“I would have loved first… but he just out played me,” Donaldson said. “He earned it.”
But Donaldson didn’t make it easy. Last year, Donaldson shot a five-under-par 65 on the first day of the tournament. On hole 11 this year, he was staring at a 30-foot birdie putt to try and go to seven-under par.
“It felt like I was in a dream on the first day,” Donaldson said. “…Everything was bouncing my way and putts were going in. It felt like a dream.”
Donaldson used the entire cup as the ball rolled around the rim and fell in from 30-feet to drop to seven-under par.
“I looked at Coach (Dane Saucier) like, ‘What in the world is happening right now,’” he said.
While he gave back a couple of strokes on the way to finishing with a 67 on the par-72 course, it was good enough to have a three stroke lead on Lane heading into day two of the tournament. Those two rounds in the 60s by each player were the only two shot during the two-day tournament.
“Jaxon is a really good iron and wedge player,” Coach Dane Saucier said. “That course is one you have to hit shots. It is a target type course. You are hitting this shot to set yourself up for the next shot, and he is very good at that… We were probably the only golfer on the course over two days who didn’t go for a par 5 in two (shots). Most of the time, high school kids are trying to hit it as far as they can hit it and not thinking it through. Jaxon is really good at thinking all the way through. He has a game plan, and he sticks to it.”
The game plan will pay off with a trip to some of the most hallowed grounds in all of golf. The state champion teams and individuals are invited to the Boy’s High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Last year, Donald son tied for 104th in that tournament out of more than 300 competitors. Donaldson was invited once again as the top individual who wasn’t already invited as part of a state championship team.
“I was disappointed not winning after being the leader the first day (of the state tournament,) but getting that trip to Pinehurst makes it better,” Donaldson said. “…I‘m going to the tournament to try and win like every other tournament, but it’s the best high school field in the nation. It is pretty tough. I think last year the goal was to enjoy the experience, but this year I think I can achieve a top 50 finish.”
The national boys’ invitational will take place on June 28-30.
Editor’s Note: Wimberley High School senior Hallie Adare was playing in the girls’ 4A UIL State Championship this week. She was shot a 77 on the first day and was tied for 10th place at the time of press.
