Kingston’s Will Bacon takes part in the TSSAA Class A state tournament at Sevierville Golf Club on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022, in Sevierville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
ALL-TIME RECIPIENTS // 5SP BOYS GOLFER OF THE YEAR
2018 — Cade Russell (CAK)
2019 — Kaleb Wilson (CAK)
2020 — Kaleb Wilson (CAK), Lance Simpson (Farragut)
2021 — Kaleb Wilson (CAK), Carson Kammann (West)
2022 — Harrison Thompson (Catholic), Ethan Whitaker (Halls)
2023 — Will Bacon (Kingston)
BY DAVE LINK
Years from now, Kingston senior Will Bacon and his teammates can reminisce about what their 2023 golf team accomplished.
Bacon played the leading role in it during the Class A state tournament Oct. 12-13 at Sevierville Golf Club.
While Bacon won the individual title by two strokes, the Yellow Jackets clinched their third consecutive state team title by five strokes.
“That’s awesome,” Bacon said of the team’s three-peat. “That’ll be something that’s in the Kingston books forever.”
It didn’t come easy for Bacon and the Yellow Jackets.
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Bacon, the 5Star Preps Boys Player of the Year, shot 6-under 66 for the opening round and had a two-stroke lead, while Kingston had a six-stroke lead over Stewart County in the team standings.
“It was a great round,” Bacon said. “I was hitting the ball great. I think I had six birdies and two eagles, and then I had a double bogey and two bogeys. It had potential to be a really great round, and it still was, but the 66 on the first day, you can’t complain about that.”
Late in the second round, however, Bacon’s lead was getting sliced and so was the Yellow Jackets’.
“I think I was 1-over going into the 14th hole the second day,” Bacon said. “I kind of knew where I was sitting at with the individual stuff, but our team lead got cut down pretty good. I think they cut it down to five, so I knew we needed to finish pretty strong.”
And he did.
The Carson-Newman signee made birdies on the 14th and 15th holes and made par on the final three for a 1-under 71, finishing the tournament 7-under 137, two strokes ahead of Carson Daniel of Bolivar Central (73-66—139).
Kingston won the team title by five strokes over Stewart County.
“I only ended up winning by two strokes,” Bacon said, “so those birdies on 14 and 15 really clinched that individual title for me.”
Bacon played in the state tournament all four of his years at Kingston, finishing third in 2022 and 15th as a sophomore and freshman.
Until this school year, Bacon was one of the top anglers on the Kingston Bass Fishing Team.
“I miss it, but I’m glad I stuck with golf,” Bacon said. “I still go out in our boat and fish, but I didn’t have time for the tournaments.”
Bacon practices at The Patch in Oak Ridge, and his swing coach is Jason Gandy at Willow Creek.
His course management coach is Chas Narramore with help from Brooke Pancake, both of Back Nine Coaching.
Bacon’s next tournament is in March.
“During the offseason, I just work on more technical stuff really because I don’t have any tournaments coming up soon,” Bacon said. “I can make some changes right now and be all right.”
Bacon wants to be in top form when he gets to Carson-Newman.
“I have several goals,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the experience. I think it’ll be really fun. I’m just going to put in the work and see how far I can go with golf, so the sky’s the limit.”