Ranked No. 8 in Class 5, the Park Hill South boys golf team is off to a steady and competitive start in 2025, earning three top-three finishes in its first four events of the season.
The Panthers opened the year with a second-place finish at the KC Metro Shootout on March 24 at Creekmoor Golf Course in Raymore. Seniors Clayton Wichman and Drew Kobayashi tied for fifth overall with matching rounds of 76, while sophomore Hayden Lea added a ninth-place finish with a 77.
Two days later, Park Hill South placed third at the Liberty North Invitational, posting a team score of 318. Freshman Peyton Strobel impressed with a 77, good for ninth place individually.
After a setback at the Park Hill Tournament, where the Panthers placed seventh out of 15 teams with a team score of 324 — their lowest finish so far — they bounced back quickly. At the Winnetonka Tournament on April 3, Park Hill South took second place. Junior Joe Luken led the way with a third-place finish after carding a 77, followed by Cooper Wichman in fifth.
The Panthers added a dual win over Truman at Drumm Farm Golf Club before continuing their strong tournament play. They finished third at the S-C Classic in Sedalia, with Strobel shooting a 75 and Kobayashi a 76. In the Oak Park Northland Invitational, the team placed fourth out of 22 teams, highlighted by a 77 from Clayton Wichman at Paradise Pointe in Smithville.
Park Hill South returned home on April 16 for senior night at The Bluffs Golf Club in Parkville. Wichman tied for first with a 38, while Drew Olson placed third with a 42.
Next up, the Panthers head to Fred Arbanas Golf Club on Monday, April 21, for the Lee’s Summit North Tournament.
With the conference tournament set for May 5 and districts on May 12, Park Hill South looks to keep its momentum building toward the postseason and hopes to close the gap with top-ranked Liberty North.