Bringing Back the Hammer

Kinkaid boys golf set up for three straight SPC titles

Kinkaid boys golf set up for three straight SPC titles
Kinkaid’s chances of going back-to-back-to-back as SPC Champions are better than ever Vype

Kinkaid boys golf has won five of the last six SPC championships, but had to complete the 2017 run without Texas-signee Cole Hammer.

Hammer played his first two high school seasons with the team, but elected to go the homeschool route as a junior to recover from a lingering elbow injury.

Luckily for both parties, Hammer’s back to his dominant self, and Kinkaid’s chances of going back-to-back-to-back as SPC Champions are better than ever.

“It was a pretty easy decision to rejoin the Kinkaid golf team,” Hammer said. “We had so much success in the past that it was really important to me to go back and finish my senior year strong.”

Another reason Hammer couldn’t wait to get back was the bond he’d developed with his teammates. That’s most noticeable with juniors Will Jacobe and Mason Nome, as well as senior Johnny Butler, because he’s played with them longer than he can remember.

Hammer kept in touch with them during his time away from the team, so they were some of the first people to know about his return.

“He had started talking to me early,” Jacobe said. “He was like, ‘There’s a 50/50 chance I come back to Kinkaid.’ And right when he told me that, I was like, ‘You need to come [back]’. I tried to tell him that every day.”

“He made his decision early in the summer, and I was really excited because I love playing with him,” Jacobe added.

Kinkaid coach Bobby Eggleston had to reshuffle his lineup when Hammer told him about the return, but it was a good challenge to have.

Eggleston ultimately gave the 2016 SPC individual champ the top spot, and featured a strong two and three in Nome and Jacobe, who finished second and fourth in 2017.

“We were disappointed when he decided to take a year off, but very excited when he decided to come back,” said Eggleston. “He brings so much to our team, score-wise, but also how he handles himself on and off the course.”

Even with the change, the Falcons retained a strong starting five. Butler, their No. 4, also had experience from last year’s SPC tournament and has already picked up a win in 2018.

“Ever since then, he’s had that feeling that he can go low,” Eggleston said. “He’s been with our team for four years, and he’s really solidified the bottom part of the lineup.”

There’s also an up-and-comer in sophomore Bain Williams, so the group will be hard to beat at this spring’s final.

“This is definitely our strongest team so far,” said Jacobe. “I’m very confident that we will win the tournament if we play the golf that we should.”

This article appears in the April issue of VYPE Magazine. Pick up your copy at any one of our locations today!

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The Cubs beat the Astros, 12-3. Composite Getty Image.

Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.

Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.

Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.

The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.

Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.

Key moment

Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.

Key stat

McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.

Up next

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.

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