Brian Sadler is fan of Oakmont Green Golf Course near Hampstead, so the Liberty High School senior was raring to go for Fridays season-opening tournament that featured players from all seven county schools.

Sadler, the reigning Times Player of the Year, was in good position to earn medalist honors after playing 12 holes at even-par. Thats when the thunderstorms broke through and suspended play at Oakmont, with Sadler and his playing partners in the fairway on the first hole.

During the delay, the county coaches met and decided there wouldnt be enough light remaining in the day to finish the tournament, with some groups still needing to finish anywhere from 7-9 holes.

The tourney was washed out and wont count.

I was playing really solid golf, Sadler said. It sucks. I thought we would go back out, but you cant control the weather.

Sadler played solid golf last fall as a junior, leading Liberty to a 17-3 record (5-1 in the county) and a spot in the Class 2A-1A state tournament. He averaged 38.9 per nine holes, the lowest in Carroll all season. He fired a 73 at the 2A-1A District I tournament, and the Lions won it to qualify for states.

He felt good about his chances to win the county tournament he took medalist honors as a sophomore in 2015, playing for North Carroll on a course he describes as good for his iron game.

Then came an 81, 9-over par. Sadler and the Lions finished second to county champion Winters Mill.

It was surprising that day, just to how I had played the whole season before it, Sadler said. And I really like Oakmont. That has kind of driven me since that day. Just focus on putting, because my putting that day was atrocious. It gave me some motivation to work on my putting, and putting is probably my favorite thing to work on now.

Putting helped Sadler throughout the summer, he said, and the effort showed in some of his tournaments. Like the annual Bobby Gorin match-play tourney late last month at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, where Sadler was the 15th seed out of 16 players and reached the semifinals.

He finished tied for third place.

On Friday, Sadler cobbled together his share of pars and had one bogey and one birdie, a two-putt on the par-5 10th hole (Sadlers group started on No. 7) after he reached the green in two. His bogey came on 18, which dropped him to even with six holes remaining.

Today I came in, I really wanted redemption from [the county tournament] last year, Sadler said. I really wanted to put an emphasis on having a good start, and I did that.

Libertys season begins Wednesday with a tri-match against Hereford and Towson at River Downs, the Lions home course. Two days later, they face county rivals Century and South Carroll at Links at Challedon.

Much like he wanted to do Friday, Sadler said a hot start to the season should keep Liberty in contention for the county championship.

Coach [Paul] Bangle has really put an emphasis on just trying to have fun this year, Sadler said. Hes such a great coach for that. He lets us have fun out at practice, at the same time still putting in hard work and trying to shoot good scores. But Im looking forward to my senior season.

I have goals for myself that I want to achieve, and I also, at the same time, want to have fun.

pat.stoetzer@carrollcountytimes.com

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Golf: Liberty's Sadler seeking 'redemption' this fall - Carroll County Times