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Click to enlarge photos.By Adam Carrington
Marietta Daily Journal Sports Writer
KENNESAW - Three are tied for the lead after the first round of the Georgia State Golf Association Girls' Junior Championship on Monday at Marietta Country Club, and one of them is just 11 years old.
Rinko Mitsunaga of Roswell, who turns 12 in August, carded a three-over par 74 in the opening round. Her score equals Carry Barbee of Cartersville and Lacey Fears of Bonaire, who finished in the top 10 in last year.
Anna Keith of Moultrie is one stroke behind at 75 and is sitting in fourth place. Defending champion Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale is in fifth place with a 76.
Local players Maggie Siddons and Alicia Rowedder, who led Harrison to a sixth place finish in the Class AAAAA state tournament last month, both struggled in the first round. Rowedder shot a 92 and Siddons carded a 93.
Mitsunaga started and finished strong in her opening round. A birdie on the par-4 first hole put her in front and another birdie on the par-3 17th kept her at the top. Three bogeys and one double bogey were her only setbacks.
Barbee, who was paired with Mitsunaga, birdied No. 3 after her approach landed just four feet from the hole. She also added a long put for birdie on the par-5 No. 10.
Two birdies - at Nos. 13 and 17 - and getting out of serious trouble at par-5 No. 14 - highlighted Fears' first round outing. After hooking her tee shot into the woods on No. 14, she pitched back to the fairway before hitting her third shot from 232 yards onto the green. Two putts later, Fears' saved her par.
It will be up to the leading trio to maintain their concentration when the second round gets under way this morning. There are still two days remaining and Stackhouse and Fowler aren't far behind.
"I feel like I know the holes better than I did before," Fears said. "Now I know where to place my shots on the par 5's. They were a bunch of dog legs - not straight."
Stackhouse shot par on 15 of 18 holes played. She couldn't make any birdies to account for two bogeys and one double. She said she couldn't cash in on her chances.
"I gave myself opportunities, and that's what you have to do in this tournament, give yourself opportunities," Stackhouse said. "There are still two days left and plenty of golf to be played."
Jessica Haigwood of Roswell and Kendall Wright of Suwanee are tied for sixth at 78. Kathryn Fowler of Americus, last year's runner up, and Isabella Skinner of Cumming are sharing eighth place with a 79 each.
Sloan Shanahan of Suwanee, Caitlin Watts of LaGrange, Carrie Metz of Carnesville and Katie Voll of Alpharetta each shot 80 and are still in the running at 10th place.
acarrington@mdjonline.com
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