Staff report
COLUMBUS — Fort Loramie junior Emily Knouff shot a 77 Friday in the first round of the Division 2 Girls State Golf Championship, being played at the Ohio State University Gray Course in Columbus.
The 77 put Knouff in third place overall, and she is second among the individual qualifiers.
The start of today’s final round was pushed back one hour because frost is expected. Knouff will be in the final group to tee off, this morning at 11:28.
Knouff’s score is even more impressive when you consider she started her round with a bogey and a triple bogey on a par-3.
“The first hole is always tough because you stand around quite a while after you practice, and she didn’t hit it real crisp,” said Fort Loramie coach Mike Anthony. “Then on her next hole, it was a long par three and she got down below the green, which is sloped pretty severely. She chipped it up and tried to be soft, and left it short. Then her second chip was long and rolled down the green and into the fairway. So it was just one of those holes.”
Anthony said earlier this week that what makes Knouff so successful is that she doesn’t let things affect her, and she proved him right Friday. After starting out 4-over, she came back on her third hole, a par-5, and eagled it.
She finished her first 9-holes par, bogey, par, bogey, par, par for a 39 on the back nine at the Gray Course, her round starting on No. 10.
On the front nine, she started with a bogey on the first hole, then after three straight pars, she birdied No. 5. However, she bogeyed three of her last four holes to finish at 7-over 77.
“She hit the ball pretty well,” said Anthony. “It was very windy, but she hit some very good shots. We have to be pleased where were at right now.”
Versailles qualified in Divison 2 as a team and is in eighth place after the first round with a 386.
Jorja Pothast led the Lady Tigers with a 93, Maddie Covault shot a 94, Lauren Heitkamp 98, Lauren Durham shot a 101, and Morgan Heitkamp 106.
