State golf got underway on Monday afternoon at four sites with Class 4 (Silo Ridge, Bolivar), Class 3 (Columbia Country Club, Columbia), Class 2 (Rivercut, Springfield) and Sedalia Country Club (Sedalia) all playing round one of two.
Glendale’s Dawson Meek was the area’s top golf across the four classes in Class 4. He leads the Class 4 field by two strokes at -4 after shooting a 68. Meek led the field with seven birdies on the day. His seven birdies were the most of any golfer at any of the state tournaments today. Glendale sits in seventh as a team with a total of 319. Lafayette (Wildwood) leads the team competition with a 304.
Lebanon’s Cooper Hess is the only other area golfer in the top 25 at the Class 4 state tournament. He is sitting tied for 10th after shooting a two-over 74 on Day 1.
In Class 1, Miller’s Presten Richardson is in second place two strokes off the lead after shooting a two-over 72. Westran’s Trey Burton leads the event at even par. Richardson had two birdies, 12 pars and four bogeys on his day.
Lincoln’s Bo Kroenke is lurking just behind Richardson tied for third place at three-over. Thomas Jefferson’s Owen D’Amour and New Covenant’s Brayden Emmert are eighth and ninth.
Lutie’s Koti Shockey (T-16), Thomas Jefferson’s Aaron Wells (T-18) and Greenwood’s Aidan McQueary (T-18) round out the area golfers in the Top 25.
In Class 3, Nevada’s Bronson Smith is tied for third at three-over. Springfield Catholic has two golfers in the top 11 with Dane Puckett (T-6, five-over) and Walker Tynes (T-11, six-over). The Irish shot 327 as a team and are in sixth place. Pembroke Hill leads the team competition with 307 after the first day.
Monett’s Clayton Kaiser is the only other area golfer in the Top 25 in Class 3 after his eight-over 79 has him tied for 21st place.
In Class 2, Buffalo’s Hadley Louderbaugh (T-20, +13), Fair Grove’s Shain Lahey (T-20, +13) and Mt. Vernon’s Curtis Wendler (T-22, +14) are the area’s representatives in the Top 25. Willow Springs is eighth as a team after one round with a team score of 391. St. Pius X (KC) leads the team competition at 341.
