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Braden Gillespie is a better golfer than the last time he played in The Tennessean/Metro Parks Schooldays Tournament, which is part of Brandt Snedeker's Sneds Tour.
The rising Friendship Christian School senior has added about 20 yards to his drives, his overall game has improved and he has a better understanding of the intricacies involved in the sport.
That's fortunate because Gillespie said he knows he has a target on his back after winning in 2024, the 100th playing of the historic tournament for boys and girls ages 12-18 at McCabe Golf Course. The 2025 Schooldays swings into action June 4-6 at McCabe. The first round is stroke play followed by match play for qualifiers.
"I struggled this spring a little bit, but I've played well lately," he said. "I'm going to have to be better than I was last year because I was an underdog then . . . people are going to be hunting me down this year. But I'm going to keep that underdog mindset while also taking advantage of the fact that I'm a better golfer than I was then."
Gillespie, 17, has a chance to become the first back-to-back Schooldays champion since Kevin Lee in 2012 and 2013. Only 13 golfers have won the tournament more than once, including Lou Graham (1953-55), who went on to win the 1975 U.S. Open; Richard Eller (1961-64), who played on the PGA Tour; and Harry Taylor (1971-72), who became a club designer and ambassador to TaylorMade Clubs.
Last year's girls champion, Gabby Diaz, is not in the field this year.
Names like Graham, Eller and Taylor, along with Snedeker — a semifinalist in the Schooldays when he was at Montgomery Bell Academy — might add some pressure on Gillespie, while also making the tournament special and different from others.
"It's my favorite tournament of the year," Gillespie said. "For one, I'm a fan of match play, but I also just love the history of the tournament and what it's meant to the golf community for all these years. I also love McCabe and the time of the year the tournament is played."
Gillespie defeated 2021 Schooldays champion Carter Stroup in the 2024 semifinals 1-up before scoring a decisive 5 and 4 win in the finals over Canon Wise.
Later in the season, Gillespie tied for 11th in the Sneds Tour Middle Tennessee Regional Championship at Montgomery Bell, finished 23rd at the Open at Montgomery Bell, and after the school year started, won the District 4 II-A tournament.
"Honestly, my game has gotten better all around since I switched coaches to Steven Boo right after the Schooldays last year," Gillespie said. "He's really made a big turnaround in my game. I'm hitting it farther and I've gained more knowledge of the game, too."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Braden Gillespie is favorite to win Schooldays golf title again
Continue reading...
The rising Friendship Christian School senior has added about 20 yards to his drives, his overall game has improved and he has a better understanding of the intricacies involved in the sport.
That's fortunate because Gillespie said he knows he has a target on his back after winning in 2024, the 100th playing of the historic tournament for boys and girls ages 12-18 at McCabe Golf Course. The 2025 Schooldays swings into action June 4-6 at McCabe. The first round is stroke play followed by match play for qualifiers.
"I struggled this spring a little bit, but I've played well lately," he said. "I'm going to have to be better than I was last year because I was an underdog then . . . people are going to be hunting me down this year. But I'm going to keep that underdog mindset while also taking advantage of the fact that I'm a better golfer than I was then."
Gillespie, 17, has a chance to become the first back-to-back Schooldays champion since Kevin Lee in 2012 and 2013. Only 13 golfers have won the tournament more than once, including Lou Graham (1953-55), who went on to win the 1975 U.S. Open; Richard Eller (1961-64), who played on the PGA Tour; and Harry Taylor (1971-72), who became a club designer and ambassador to TaylorMade Clubs.
Last year's girls champion, Gabby Diaz, is not in the field this year.
Names like Graham, Eller and Taylor, along with Snedeker — a semifinalist in the Schooldays when he was at Montgomery Bell Academy — might add some pressure on Gillespie, while also making the tournament special and different from others.
"It's my favorite tournament of the year," Gillespie said. "For one, I'm a fan of match play, but I also just love the history of the tournament and what it's meant to the golf community for all these years. I also love McCabe and the time of the year the tournament is played."
Gillespie defeated 2021 Schooldays champion Carter Stroup in the 2024 semifinals 1-up before scoring a decisive 5 and 4 win in the finals over Canon Wise.
Later in the season, Gillespie tied for 11th in the Sneds Tour Middle Tennessee Regional Championship at Montgomery Bell, finished 23rd at the Open at Montgomery Bell, and after the school year started, won the District 4 II-A tournament.
"Honestly, my game has gotten better all around since I switched coaches to Steven Boo right after the Schooldays last year," Gillespie said. "He's really made a big turnaround in my game. I'm hitting it farther and I've gained more knowledge of the game, too."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Braden Gillespie is favorite to win Schooldays golf title again
Continue reading...
