LANDIS — Sean Kramer and South Rowan dominated the annual A.C. Dorsett Rowan County High School Golf Tournament here Wednesday.

Kramer, a sophomore, shot a 2-over-par 73 at Warrior Golf Club to become the Raiders’ second county champion in three years. Michael Simpson won in 1999.

Kramer led South to its first county title with a 304 score to runner-up East Rowan’s 322. North Rowan was third at 328, followed by 2000 champion Salisbury with 331 and West Rowan with 365.

“My confidence has been high ever since the conference (Central Piedmont) championship (April 30 at Oak Valley in Advance) when I played good,” said the 15-year-old Kramer. “Then I went to the regionals and played good. I just had a bunch of confidence coming in today. I had some good putts, some good par-saving putts.”

He took 31 putts, including 14 on the front nine, with a left-hand low (cross-handed) putting stroke he began using about six months ago.

Kramer, over a 10-day period, tied for fourth in the CPC with a 1-over 73 at Oak Valley, earning all-conference, shot a 4-over 74 at Pinehurst No. 1 in the regionals to qualify for next week’s state event, then won the county title.

Now he’s aiming for a high finish in the state 4A tourney at Pinehurst No. 6 Monday and Tuesday.

“I’ll just go up there and try to have fun, just try to play my game,” he said.

Kramer didn’t know he was the tournament leader by the time he reached the back nine.

“People told my daddy(Jake) that Jon Allen (of North Rowan) was 4 under, and I was even. I knew I had to make some birdies somewhere,” he said. Allen had got off to a quick start with four early birdies.

Kramer lipped out a birdie putt on No. 7, then got his only birdies on Nos. 8 and 9.

“I stuck it close on 8, about 5 feet,” he said of his birdie 2. “Then on 9 (a short par-4) I hit my drive pretty close and chipped up to about 2 feet.”

He made his first bogey of the day on No. 10, then had three more bogeys at 12, 13 and 15. Kramer then finished strong with three pars. He saved par on the tough par-3 16th after chipping from behind the green, reached the par-5 17th in two and just missed his birdie, then finished with a routine par on 18.

“I was never sure that I was in the lead.I knew my teammate, Brian Helms, was playing pretty well. He was 3 over with three to play.I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes, especially when I knew I had 18 coming up with that out of bounds. I hit 3-iron off there,” he said.

The out of bounds is on the left side of the fairway near the clubhouse, but Kramer’s shot was down the middle.

“I’ve got a new type of game, trying to get more course management,” he pointed out, explaining that he’s hit his driver only six times the last three tourneys.

“I’ve noticed I’ve hit my 4-wood about as far as my driver, only straighter,” Kramer said, adding that his 4-wood distance is between 270 and 280 yards and the driver just a little more.

Kramer, 14th in the county as a freshman with an 85, thought he had a chance to win coming in this time.

“I knew I had to play well to beat Jon Allen. It was just whoever had the best day out there,” said the 5-foot-8, 145-pounder, who hopes to play major college golf after high school.

As for South winning it’s first county title, Kramer said, “I knew we had the talent to be champions. We just had to have good days. We all played well.”

Helms shot a 75, John Wagner a 76 and Adam Broome an 80 to account for South’s 304 total. Senior Travis Brown also shot a career-best 84.

“Our kids have worked so hard this year,” said South coach David Hord. “Of course, Sean sets the pace for everybody. He strikes the ball so well.”

He pointed to Kramer, junior Helms, senior Wagner and junior Broome, who were posing for a picture, and said, “These guys back here have just worked so hard. They’ve been the heart of our team certainly. We are a few players short of competing in the conference, but we competed much better in the conference this year, around 40 shots better overall.”

South has to compete with strong golf programs from Mount Tabor, West Forsyth, R.J. Reynolds and Davie County in the CPC.

“Having Warrior Golf Club here with the support that the club has given us the two years that I’ve done golf has just been tremendous — having the course here and having the support of Brian Lee, Rick Houston and Andrew Beaver. I get the kids to the matches on time. I try to keep things lined up,” said Hord.

The four South golfers were joined on the all-county team by North’s Allen (76), East’s Scott Young (77) and Tyler Sloop (79), North’s Steven Patterson (80), and Salisbury’s Garrett Gardner (80).