The area had some solid golfers this spring, but none who stood out as much as Albemarle School's Beau Thompson.

Thompson was the runner-up at the Tarheel Independent Conference tournament and was Player of the Year in the conference after posting a 72.4 average.

Submitted Photo (ENLARGE)

Albemarle School's Beau Thompson Thompson was the runner-up at the Tarheel Independent Conference tournament and was Player of the Year in the conference after posting a 72.4 average.

"This past year, he won medalist honors at all six matches, except for the last one," Albemarle coach Johnnie Rowe said. "I think it was a tie on one of the last courses he played."

Thompson has the pedigree to be a top golfer. His father, Guy, is the teaching professional at Kilmarlic Golf Club and has been a member of the PGA since 1980.

"He's been playing golf since he was just a small kid," Rowe said. "His father, Guy Thompson, used to be the golf professional at Pine Lakes Country Club, so naturally, he grew up playing golf."

This year, Albemarle School was able to field a full team for the first time. Though the team did not fare well, Rowe said the team scores both were and were not a reflection on Thompson.

While the high scores were certainly not his fault, Rowe said that if a couple of players broke into the 90s, the team could have finished second or third in its conference matches.

It is still a far cry from previous years.

"For the first couple of years that I was helping out, we never really had a full team to compliment him, so we had to forfeit all of our matches," Rowe said. "Every year, he always went to the state tournament in individual play."

This year was no exception.

At one point in the season, Thompson was on top of the 1A rankings in the NCISAA.

"There was about a total of 150 players ranked in the association and just about all year long, Beau was ranked in the top 5," Rowe said. "Towards the end of the season, he was the No. 1 player in the 1A division for two weeks running."

Thompson ended the season tied for ninth at the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 1A Golf Championship at Hyland Hills Golf Club.

After the first round, Thompson was just one shot out of the lead after shooting 74. But an 83 on the second day left him 11 strokes behind the winner.

With one year remaining in high school, Rowe says Thompson is looking to improve his game, with the hopes of playing in college.

"He's playing in some amateur tournaments this summer," Rowe said. "I called looking for him today and he and his father both are out of town. He's playing in a tournament somewhere in Virginia."

All-Area Team

Jordan Cullens Pasquotank

Raymond Walsh Pasquotank

Will Seddreth Pasquotank

Brandon Pope Currituck

Marcus Smith Currituck

Josh Berry Currituck

Josh Parsons Northeastern