First Posted: 5/5/2013

PEMBROKE When the Purnell Swett boys golf team started the season, coach Jamie Locklear heard plenty of people who were unsure of his teams ability on the course. It left the question of whether or not the Rams would make it to their sixth straight regional tournament.

Theyre like youre not going to have to worry about this team Jamie. This is going to be the team that wont make it to regionals, you dont have the talent, Locklear said. I challenged them saying This year, its all up to you guys, how hard youre going to work.

I think they took that challenge and went with it saying you know what, were not going to be that team that kills that streak. Were going to keep that streak alive.

Instead, the Rams finished second in the conference, coming in second to defending state runner-up Pinecrest, and are hoping to send at least one golfer to state when the 4A East Regional tournament wraps up Monday afternoon.

The tournament tees off at 7:30 a.m. Monday at Pinehurst No. 6.

The Rams will be represented as a team by six golfers, with Thomas Miller and Colby Johnson playing individually for Lumberton.

The six that Purnell Swett are sending all finished the season on a strong note.

Junior Justin Chavis is the teams top golfer, averaging a 76, and took the spot from senior James Chavis, who went to the No. 2 spot after struggling early in the year.

Justin Chavis said the difference for him this year has come in the days between tournaments. Hes used practice to refine his skills rather than just play the course.

You dont get better by playing, you get better by hitting balls and practicing, standing up here on the putting green chipping and putting, he said. I didnt do that last year, I was just out there playing.

Locklear said Justins work has shown.

I can tell that hes really taken his game to another level, he said.

James Chavis, who also plays basketball, initially struggled in the transition between the seasons, but has since gotten his scores back into the 80s.

Those rounds from him have actually helped us finish in second place, Locklear said.

Tanner Collins, a junior, and senior Warren Bowen, who shot a team-high 71 in the final tournament of the regular season, fill the three and four spots. Senior Michael Sanderson and freshman James Locklear fill the fifth and sixth spots.

Of note, Sanderson has cut well over 30 strokes from his score in the last two years, improving in multiple aspects of the game to get his scores into the high 70s and low 80s range.

All of its improved, he said about his skills. In golf everything complements each other.

Jamie Locklear said a key point in the season was a rough tournament at Scotch Meadows in Laurinburg in early April, at which the Rams lost nearly 30 strokes in the conference standings.

Locklear said from that point on, the boys put more effort in on weekends and other times, which caused improvements late in the year.

In the end, Locklear hopes the team can get an individual golfer, if not the entire team, to the state tournament.

The tournament is expected to be challenging, not just in the competition, but in the course, which will put a high emphasis on short game. Expected rain could also play a factor.

If you miss, theres a bunker surrounding every green, theres out of bounds everywhere, Locklear said.

But with so many elements in play, Sanderson said the field should be wide open.

The way the weather is, its anybodys game, he said.