BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Former Helias golf coach Ray Hentges showed he still has plenty left in his golf game this week at the National Senior Games.
Hentges competed in a three-day tournament at Oxmoor Valley, which concluded Wednesday. He finished in 11th place out of 47 competitors in the men's 75-79 age division, shooting a three-round total of 45-over 261.
Hentges, 78, qualified for the National Senior Games by winning last year's Missouri State Senior Games and meeting the minimum performance standard. He shot lower than his age, taking the title last June with a 1-over 72 at Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Columbia.
After Monday's opening round of a 13-over 85, Hentges was eight strokes off the lead, recording birdies on both par 3s on the back nine.
Tuesday's round of 86 - highlighted by back-to-back birdies on the par-4 sixth and the par-5 seventh - kept Hentges in the top 15 heading into Wednesday's final round. He finished with a 90 in the final round, recording one birdie and six pars.
Hentges had five birdies and 21 pars in the 54-hole tournament.
Gerry Rose won the national title in the division, shooting a 26-over 242.
Hentges, a 2013 inductee of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, was the Helias football coach for 33 years, leading the Crusaders to a pair of state championships. Hentges also served as the golf coach and guided Helias to three state titles.