RIVERTON — The state 5-A golf championships featured great playing condititions on Monday morning, but the Top of Utah’s elite competitors didn’t necessarily take full advantage.
The good news is that a two-day tournament provides the Titans, Darts, Warriors and Wolves a chance at redemption.
Region 3 champion Brighton rolled out to an eight--shot lead on Lone Peak, with Syracuse a shot back after the first round of the 5-A championships at Riverbend Golf Course.
Brighton finished at 290. Region 2 champion Viewmont is at 301, with a balanced Davis squad in sixth at 304.
Region 1 champion Fremont managed a 309, as did Weber, with both schools the last to advance to today’s final round of play on the 6,876-yard, par-72 course.
With 19 strokes between first place and the 10th and 11th teams, today’s round should provide plenty of changes to the leaderboard. The past couple of 5-A tournaments have seen schools come back from a first-day deficit to claim the team trophy.
Fremont coach Tara Pollard said that’s why Region 1 stages a two-day region finale.
“Our region is tough, but it really comes down to who shows up ready to play,” Pollard said last week after the region tourney. “It’s going to be exciting.”
The 5-A and 2-A tournaments are the first of four prep golf championships to be decided this week. The state 4-A and 3-A tournaments are set for Wednesday and Thursday.
West’s Austin Banz, who finished 22nd overall a season ago, set the pace Monday with a 5-under-par 67 in warm, dry fall conditions.
Brighton’s duo of Andrew Reilly and Jacob Byers were three shots back at 70 along with Viewmont’s Kelton Hirsch.
Fremont freshman Dylan Chugg and American Fork’s Benji Judd are at 71, with Syracuse’s Cameron Speyer and Josh Meyer leading a group of seven at even-par 72.
Weber’s Braden Whiteley and Hunter Machovsky shot 73s, with Syracuse’s Chandler Thomas and Fremont’s Alex Herzog at 75.
Davis rode the strength of five 76s — by Jake Godfrey, Greg Taylor, Dane Nelson, Jayden Nyman and Tim Mason — for its sixth-place start.
Golfers tee off at 8:30 a.m. today.
In the 2-A tournament at Rose Park Golf Course, two-time defending champion Beaver roasted the course for a team 292 leads Manti by seven spots.
The state 4-A championships will tee off at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning at Logan Country Club.
Region 5 champion Bonneville will lead Sky View, Logan and Roy into the team chase, along with individuals from Mountain Crest and Box Elder.
“Playing at Logan Country Club is a great opportunity,” said Bonneville’s Nick Smith, the Region 5 season medalist. “We’ve got great team depth.
Lakers coach Mike Edwards expects Olympus, defending state champion and Westlke to present challenges to Region 5 teams. Roy came on strong at the end of the season.
Region 11 champion Bear River will lead Morgan Ogden into the state 3-A championshhips, set for Wednesday and Thursday at Roosevelt Golf Course in Roosevelt. Golfers tee off at 9 a.m.
Bear River’s Bridger Layton, the league’s season medalist, finished sixth a season ago at state.
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