Senior Avery Viveiros shot an 88 as Westport golfers placed seventh with a team score of 367 during the annual Mayflower Athletic Conference golf tournament at Acushnet River Valley Country Club in New Bedford on Thursday. Sophomores Owen Boudria and Bryton Graham each shot a 92 and freshman Ben Bernier shot a 95 for the Wildcats. Upper Cape won the with a low score of 311 in the thirteen team event. Westport finished the season with a league record of 6-4 and 6-6 overall, good enough to make the state South Sectional Golf Tournament at Foxboro Country Club on Monday for the first time in a decade. 

“The team performed the best I’ve seen in the last six years that I’ve played,” said Viveiros, the team’s captain who began his tenure with the team in seventh grade. “It’s the first time that we’ve had a winning record and made it to states. Everyone has played pretty solid and shot good numbers. I’m proud of everyone on the team.”

“It feels good, reiterated head coach Matt Kampper. “The team really bought in. Avery has played a big role. It’s awesome for him.”

Coach Kampper is looking forward to stoking the fire with the new winning culture for years to come. 

“We have the talent and now the kids have the belief that they can do it,” he said. “Hopefully we can put everything together over the next few years and make a run.” 

The Wildcats battled for their scores during the tournament which was a different format than they are used to. “We play nine hole match play, 18 hole stroke play is a different beast. It can be tough, but our scores were solid.” Viveiros started play with a couple of triple bogies but settled down nicely, parred two holes and birdied the par 4 16th hole for a 42 on the back nine. 

Boudria also played well on the back nine. Though he hit bunkers on two of the last three holes. He got up and down for bogie on both and finished with a 44. 

“My gosh, that lie was so bad,” he said of his ball that stuck in the sand near the top of the cavernous ten foot bunker that protects the 18th green. He stood with both feet slipping down the sandy  trap and slammed his club at the ball. Thwack. “I swung as hard as I could and prayed for the best,” he said. Sand flew up, some into his face and then out popped the ball onto the green. Boudria promptly two putted for a bogie 5.

He did the same on the next hole. 

“It was the exact same lie,” he said. 

And he had the same result. 

Graham chipped in for birdie on his very first hole. The sophomore went on to shoot a 45 and a 47 for a 92. “I played pretty well,” he said. “The first hole was my best. Then I played bogie golf for the rest.”

Bernier shot a 95 for the Tournament. The freshman was born without a tibia in his right leg and had it amputated at the knee when he was a year old. He plays both baseball and golf with a prosthetic leg. 

“It’s definitely difficult. I’ve been playing golf since I was six, he said. “I’ve figured out ways to adapt to it. There’s ways around everything and you just have to figure out how to fix it.” The prosthetic is sturdy but wears so much that he receives a new one every year.

He grew up playing golf at a public course in Marion with his dad and uncle and recently played at John Parker with his grandfather and took lessons at Caddy Shack Driving Range.

“I hit them pretty straight and kept them all in play,” he said of his round. “I only loss one ball. I was pretty happy.”