LUDLOW — Brady Wood of the Franklin Tech golf team chose an excellent time to play some of the best golf of his young career on Tuesday afternoon.
The freshman carded a 79 at the MIAA Division 3 West Championship at luxurious Ludlow Country Club, which was good for individual medalist honors for the Eagles. The windy conditions and the pressure of the moment did nothing to derail Wood, who found ample success on the greens.
“Just trying to stay calm,” Wood said. “Trying to line up my putts and hit them on line. With good pace. Putting really changed it today. I also hit a good amount of fairways today. But my short game saved me most of the day.”
Coach Michael Duclos, Brady Wood and Braeden Talbot celebrate after winning runner up the MIAA Division 3 West golf championship, Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 
Brady Wood of the Franklin Tech golf team lines up a putt, Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Brady Wood of the Franklin Tech golf team makes his approach, Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Brady Wood of the Franklin Tech golf team chats with an opponent Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Jack Day of the Franklin Tech golf team lets go of a putt, Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Jack Day of the Franklin Tech golf team lets go of a putt, Tuesday in Ludlow. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo
Wood will move on to state competition for the Eagles. The mental part of the game will be critical as he turns his attention to another course and even better competition. Wood has experience at the state level after competing there last year with Frontier Regional.
“A better attitude out there would be good,” Wood said. “Sometimes I got low and it doesn’t help. When you get on the bogey train it’s hard to get back. I just try to take deep breaths and focus, make some putts and hit some good shots.”
Franklin Tech finished second as a team with a 341, losing out to Monty Tech, who finished with a combined 337. Lenox was third with a 347. Ludlow Country Club is a par 72. The Eagles played 18 holes at the tournament. Regular season golf is only nine holes. Wood’s performance came as no surprise to Franklin Tech coach Michael Duclos.
“If you watch Brady play all year like I have,” Duclos said. “He puts in the time and effort. After practice he is chipping and putting. He plays all the time. I knew he was going to be contending for the top five. But to come in first, hats off to him. He keeps it together and holds his focus.”
Jack Day finished tied for second (+9) for the Eagles. Day was closing in on first place, but the last two holes did not go his way.
“It’s the worst thing ever,” Day said. “I am always getting second. If you don’t win, it’s a loss. But we all played pretty good, qualified for states. It does feel good. I just need to do better on the last two holes.”
Lukas Segur of Monty Tech and Gabe Thomas of McCann Tech also tied for second place. Elsewhere for the Eagles was Braeden Talbot, who finished with a 92. Grady Deery happily signed off on an 89 for the Eagles.
“Golf is a tough sport,” Duclos said. “I know a lot of them are not happy being 17 over but if 79 is the low score and you shoot an 89 as a team, that’s pretty good. Everybody probably could chop six strokes off their day. As soon as you put a Western Mass. title out there and you are competing, things change and it’s more difficult. But they held it together. I am proud of them.”
Everett Eichorn shot a 101 for Franklin Tech. Colton Kingsbury finished with a 105. The top eight players at the tournament qualify for state competition.
