Bell keeps his cool, wins district title
CEDAR FALLS - Cody Bell is unflappable.
Some golfers might lose their cool after missing two short putts at the start of an important round, but not Bell. He shrugged it off and surged to the top.
Bell claimed medalist honors with a 1-over-par 73 Tuesday to help Kennedy win the Class 4A district golf title at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls.
Bell missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 570-yard second hole and had to settle for par. Then he missed another short putt on the 420-yard fourth hole and took a bogey.
He never tossed a club or uttered an unhappy word. His only visible sign of annoyance was a small grimace.
"It was just a matter of settling in," he said. "You have those nerves going in, but I was able to settle in and I was able to salvage the round."
Bell collected four birdies after his slow start and beat Linn-Mar senior Tyler McCann by one stroke.
"Cody is just an unusual individual. He doesn't let things bother him," Kennedy Coach Mark Wilden said. "He has a great temperament."
Bell played the first nine holes at 2-over par, then played the back nine at 1-under for his tight victory.
"I'm proud of it," he said. "I felt like I came out here and competed with everyone else. I hit the ball really well. That was the key to my success."
Kennedy, Cedar Falls and Linn-Mar qualified for the Class 4A state meet at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City this Friday and Saturday. They will be part of an elite field that will feature 12 of the top-15 teams in Iowa.
Xavier finished fourth in the team standings and failed to qualify for state by eight shots, but Xavier senior J.P. King tied for fourth in the individual race with a 76 and advanced.
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