Charleston’s Maggie Scott earned Senior Low-Medalist honors, while Lee University linksters Madison Alexander and Courtney Shelton are in the top flight as well, which began match play this morning.
Polk County High School senior-to-be Lydia Triplett made a respectable showing in her first “state am” and will participate in the Second Flight match-play bracket.
Scott opened her 36th trip to the event with a 4-over 76 to tie for 15th place.
The nine-time TGA Senior Player of the Year birdied the seventh hole at the Foxland Harbor Golf Course, a 466-yard par 5, but had bogeys on Nos. 4 and 6, both par 4s, for a 1-over 37 on the front nine. The 1994 state amateur champion stumbled a little after the turn with bogeys on the par 4 10th and 14th holes, plus the same on No. 15, a par 3, for a 39 on the back nine.
In this morning’s match-play opening round, Scott was seeded 18th and tangled with Franklin’s Olivia Love, who is the 15th seed after a double bogey on Monday’s final hole gave her a 3-over 75. The Middle Tennessee State University golfer had a pair of birdies and three bogeys while posting a 36-39 tally Monday.
Alexander, who played at Science Hill High School before coming to Lee last fall, posted the best score among the locals Monday with a 2-over- 74. The Lady Flame standout had a birdie and a bogey on the front nine for a 36, but a double bogey on the 334-yard par 4 14th hole was her lone slip up after the turn.
After tying for 10th, Alexander was seeded 13th for match play and faced Jenna Burris of Manchester, the 20th seed, this morning. Burris tied with Scott and four others with a 76 Monday.
Shelton fired an even par front nine Monday with a birdie and a bogey balancing out, but then a double bogey and three bogeys in the final five holes dropped her to a 5-over 77 in the qualifier. The NAIA All-American earned the 22nd seed and was pitted against No. 11 Beth Miller of Collierville this morning. Miller had a trio of birdies and five bogeys in her 2-over 74 Monday.
A birdie on the par 3 11th hole was the highlight of Triplett’s 45-46 — 91 qualifying round Monday.
The two-time TSSAA state tournament participant was the seventh seed in the Second Flight bracket and teed off this morning against Lebanon’s Deanna Woods, the No. 2 seed who carded an 88 Monday.
Lookout Mountain’s Mary Alice Murphy shot 3 under par 69 to take medalist honors Monday and enter the match play field as the No. 2 seed. She will face Ellen Mitchell of Memphis, who shot an 80.
Defending champion Kendall Martindale of Jefferson City was exempt from Monday’ qualifying round and assumed the No. 1 seed as first round match play began this morning squaring off against Katya Hoffman from Clarksville, who also qualified with an 80.
Blakesly Warren of Chattanooga claimed junior medalist honors posting a score of 2-under-par 70.
