Friendly rivalry: Linn-Mar’s Christian Cloyd wins playoff over Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Logan Otting for medalist honors at CRANDIC boys’ golf meet

MARION — Linn-Mar’s Christian Cloyd and Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Logan Otting are friends and competitors.

So, they were cool with some good-natured ribbing from each other on the driving range before Tuesday’s CRANDIC boys’ golf meet at Hunters Ridge.

Little did they know that the day would end with them at it again, battling in a rare regular-season sudden-victory playoff for medalist honors.

“I was talking about how he hasn’t beat me and he said today was going to be the day he beats me,” Cloyd said with a slight laugh. “It’s kind of funny we were the two that ended up in the playoff.”

Otting said he and Cloyd like to chaff and cheer for each other.

“Some friendly smack talk,” Otting said with a smile. “We both know we’ll give each other a hard time but want each other to do well in the end.

“We were both rooting for each other, wanting to play good golf in the playoff.”

An entire round and even an extra playoff hole wasn’t enough to separate them. Cloyd’s approach from about 90 yards out on the second playoff hole put him in position to two-putt for par on the par-5 No. 2, edging Otting by a stroke.

“It felt normal because Logan and I have grown up together and always battled it out,” Cloyd said. “My last playoff, I was qualifying for the Iowa Amateur and he was actually my caddie.

“At the first tee, I was a little nervous but after that I settled into it.”

Each fired 1-under 71 to tie for the best round. Sometimes co-medalists are named and other times a simple card back to the best score on the most difficult hole suffices for criteria. The individual title at the CRANDIC calls for a playoff, so Cloyd and Otting strapped on their bags and led a group of players, coaches and a couple more spectators to the No. 1 tee for more.

Playing against a respected friend made it a little less tense.

“It made me less nervous and more comfortable in that situation,” Otting said. “The playoff was a good atmosphere. It was fun to be in that spot because I had never been in one.”

Cloyd hit the turn at 37 and fired a 2-under 34 for the lowest score on the back nine. He parred eight straight holes before birdies on Nos. 11 and 13, closing with five more pars.

Ironically, his only bogey during the round that caused the playoff came on the same hole he won it — No. 2.

“I hit 16 out of 18 greens today,” Cloyd said. “It was just my putting. Once I got a few to go in, they kept rolling in (the cup).”

Otting posted his 34 on the front, sinking birdies on the first, third and fourth holes.

“I was able to keep the ball in play and build momentum,” Otting said. “I strung some birdies on the front nine.”

Xavier Coach Brandon Schiltz said Otting has had a strong season and that he is closing in on peaking for the postseason.

“He’s been trying to encourage himself to play a little bit better,” Schiltz said. “Today was that breakthrough round. He’s locked in. He’s ready to go. We’re three weeks away from districts. Now begins the fun.”

Otting helped the Saints win their second straight CRANDIC crown. The Saints posted a 301 team total, beating host Linn-Mar by four. Xavier placed four in the top eight. Jacob Schmit and Pranay Monga tied for fourth with 76 and Grant Allen tied for eighth with 78.

The Saints rebounded from a tough day at the Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi divisional Monday at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. They improved by almost four strokes per scorer.

“I’m happy with the bounce back,” Schiltz said. “Yesterday’s round was a little bit of a struggle for us but today was more our game.

“The beauty of high school golf is that we’re all on the same team so we have six players that lift each other up. The team encouraged each other to play well today.”

2024 CRANDIC boys’ golf meet

At Hunters Ridge Golf Course

(Marion)

Teams — 1. C.R. Xavier 301, 2. Linn-Mar 305, 3. Iowa City High 323, 4. Iowa City West 325, 5. C.R. Prairie 326, 6. Iowa City Liberty 328, 7. C.R. Kennedy 338, 8. C.R. Washington 350, 9. C.R. Jefferson 414

Individuals — 1. Christian Cloyd (LM), 71*, 2. Logan Otting (CRX), 71, 3. Jack Rogers (ICH), 74, 4. (tie) Ben Steenrod (LM), Henry Sobaski (CRP), Pranay Monga (CRX) and Jacob Schmit (CRX), 76

*-Won sudden-victory playoff.

XAVIER (301): Otting 71, Monga 76, Schmit 76, Grant Allen 78

LINN-MAR (305): Cloyd 71, Steenrod 76, Max Faulkner 79, Dylan Heater 79

CITY HIGH (323): Rogers 74, Nick Meredith 79, Zach Meredith 85, Henry Birt 85

I.C. WEST (325): Emery Crawford 78, Tate Genkinger 81, Gage Brownlee 81, Jack Jensen-Fitzpatrick 85

PRAIRIE (326): Sobaski 76, Keaton Klekar 83, Matt Boyles 83, Jayson Kubik 84, Tony Boelter 84

I.C. LIBERTY (328): Brooks Andersen 79, Brady Zimmerman 82, Regan Kopecky 83, Brody Heddens 84

KENNEDY (338): Brayden Brueggemeyer 81, Blake Paulson 82, Trey McKowen 86, Leo Koester 89

WASHINGTON (350): Preston Haefner 82, Njorn White 86, Holden Smith 89, Connor Brown 93

JEFFERSON (414): Cole Fisher 98, Carter Sherard 103, Dom Rulli 104, Colton Fee 109

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