LIBERTY LAKE — After the opening round of the state 2A boys and girls state golf tournaments, Sequim’s Cole Smithson and Port Angeles’ Piper Williams are leading the pack among local golfers.
At least three and possibly five area prep golfers will qualify for the final round of state today.
Williams, competing at Meadowwood Golf Course in Liberty Lake, is having the best day among North Olympic golfers, as she is sitting at 20th among the 2A girls after shooting a first-round score of 90 and appears safe to move on to the second day.
Smithson, golfing at the nearby Liberty Lake Golf Course, is also in a safe spot for making the cut with a first-day round of 79, good for 25th place. Port Angeles’ Edun Bailey had a great first day with an 81. He is sitting in 31st place.
Port Angeles’ Phoenix Flores has a chance to move on to the second day after a first-round score of 82, good for 38th place.
Sequim’s Zach Thompson had a great first round with an 82, tied with Flores at 38th.
It will be close whether Flores and Thompson move on as, generally, roughly the top 40 golfers qualify for the final round today, but it appeared they will make it.
Sequim’s Cronin Carter likely will not make day two, as his first-round score of 93 had him sitting in 73rd.
Leading the boys are Wyatt Brownwell and Ben Wilson of Burlington-Edison and Von Wasson of Centralia, all of whom shot 69. Charlotte Giffin of Cedarcrest is leading the girls tournament, also with a 69. She is ahead of a group of pursuers by four strokes.
Port Angeles’ Claire Osterberg shot an opening-day round of 107, which has her in 64th, out of the running for day two. The Roughriders’ Lauryn Chapman came in late Tuesday afternoon with a 108, good for 66th.
Sequim’s Jelissa Julmist finished with a 127, which put her in 78th.
