BELLINGHAM – As the best high school golfers in the state finished their first nine holes Tuesday at the 4A state tournament, most probably pondered what it would take to make the cut for today’s final round.
On a day when conditions were near-perfect, Kamiak’s Dylan Goodwin summed up what most concluded, “I can score low … if I make my putts.”
Goodwin did just that.
He made five back-nine birdies and rebounded from a front nine 39 to shoot a back nine 32 for a first round score of 1-under par 71 at Shuksan Golf Club in Bellingham.
“I hit the ball pretty steady, just a couple of mistakes (on the front nine),” said Goodwin, who entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed out of District 1.
After bogeying the downhill 10th hole, Goodwin knocked in back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th and again on the 17th and 18th, while driving the green on 15 to account for all five backside birdies.
“Coach (Jeff Tobin) told me not to try to drive (15), but I had to go for it,” he beamed.
Goodwin’s 71 tied him with Snohomish’s Michael Jaeger for the low score among Wesco players. Their 71s put them both four shots off the lead – leader Patrick Boag of Eisenhower High School shot a 5-under par 67.
“There are a couple of other guys who are looking good right now,” said Goodwin. “But I feel pretty positive having come in under (par).”
Goodwin, who tees off at 9:30 a.m. today, is pretty familiar with some of the other golfers who played well Tuesday.
Three of them were teammates Reid Martin (72), Brycen Finnie (73) and Johnny Carey (75). With all four Kamiak players making the cut of 3-over par 75, the Knights are the favorites to take home the 4A team title.
“The guys have a pretty solid game plan, but they still need to execute (today),” Tobin said “They can play aggressive, but will need to use good judgment when necessary.”
Snohomish, which edged Kamiak for the District 1 championship, is also in the hunt for the team title with three players making the cut.
Led by Jaeger, Taylor Brown’s first-round 72 and Marcus Merisko’s 73, the Panthers will refer back to their team motto to hopefully carry them through to the team championship.
“When in doubt, dominate,” Brown said. And when referencing his team’s goal, he was as succinct:
“We’re in it for the gold.”
Bellarmine Prep with three is the only other team in the tournament with more than two players in today’s final round, almost ensuring that the team title will be won by Prep, Kamiak or Snohomish.
“We were disappointed at districts and want to show everyone here that we can take over,” said Kamiak’s Martin. “They (Snohomish) had a couple guys play really great at districts, so this is our chance to redeem ourselves.”
There are a few other local athletes who will look to redeem themselves today as well.
Monroe’s Matt Epstein, who made the cut with a 1-over par 73, knows that today he’ll have to make the putts he missed Tuesday to even get in the hunt.
“Putting, putting, putting …,”said Epstein, smiling and shaking his head. “All I can do is come out tomorrow and play the best I can.”
Jackson’s Jeff Neely also carded a first-round 73.
Oak Harbor’s Phil Reedy, the District 1 No. 1 seed, shot an even par 36 on the front nine, but finished at 4-over 76, missing the cut by one stroke.
Final round qualifiers-T8. Dylan Goodwin (Kamiak) 71, T8. Michael Jaeger (Snohomish) 71, T11. Taylor Brown (Snohomish) 72, T11. Reid Martin (Kamiak) 72, T15. Matt Epstein (Monroe) 73, T15. Jeff Neely (Jackson) 73, T15. Marcus Merisko (Snohomish) 73, T15. Brycen Finnie (Kamiak) 73, T34. Johnny Carey (Kamiak) 75, T34. Ryan Young (Jackson) 75.
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