BIRMINGHAM, AL – West Point High School brothers Bailey and Rawlin Sutter grabbed the limelight of the 76th AHSAA State Golf Championships Monday with the two top rounds as the participants battled through inclement weather much of the day at Oxmoor Valley RTJ Golf Course.
Weather conditions kept several classes from completing their first rounds – forcing an early 7:30 a.m. start for those still needing to complete their first 18 holes.
The Sutters, however, had no trouble getting done. Bailey shot the day’s top score – an 8-under 64, and Rawlin finished 3-under 69. Their strong rounds helped West Point High School finish the first round with a 293-team total – 5 over par – to lead the Class 5A boys’ team race. Bayside Academy was second after the first round at 306, Guntersville was third at 307, and Andalusia was fourth at 340.
All teams are scheduled to play 36 holes in the tournament which is scheduled to conclude Tuesday. Classes 3A, 4A, and A completed the boys’ first round Monday. The Class 1A/3A girls division completed 18 holes as well.
That leaves the Class 4A/5A, Class 6A and Class 7A girls teeing off at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday in an attempt to finish the first round. The Class 1A/, Class 6A, and Class 7A boys’ divisions also must complete Monday’s round with early Tuesday morning.
Golfers rode in carts Monday in an effort to speed up play due to the expected weather conditions. If weather conditions for Tuesday remain as projected, players will ride in golf carts again and remain in the same groups as Round 1.
This is being communicated to coaches via text message and email. It remains the intention of the AHSAA to have a 36-hole championship for all classifications. However, as a reminder, per AHSAA policy, all players in a classification must complete a minimum of 9-holes to crown a champion.
Of those finishing 18 holes Monday, Lee-Scott’s boys leads Class 3A with a 306 team total. Whitesburg is second at 311. Haleyville leads Class 4A boys at 12-over 300. Jackson is second at 307. In the girls’ competition, Grissom finished at 8-over 224 total to lead Class 7A. Auburn was two shots back at 226, followed by Hewitt-Trussville at 233, and UMS-Wright, 235. Wicksburg’s girls finished with 34-over 250 to lead Class 1A/3A. Alabama Christian was 31 strokes back at 281.
Klare Jamison of Grissom had the low girls’ round of the day with a 5-under 67 in Class 7A. Frances Brown of UMS-Wright shot at even par 72. Julie Waldo of Alabama Christian shot a 4-under 68 in Class 1A/3A, and Providence Christian’s Kamdyn Kelley finished 1-under 71 after the first round.
Jackson’s Cooper Garris also finished 1-under 71 to lead the Class 4A boys, and Andrew Turner of American Christian finished with an even-par 72. In Class 3A boys’ play, Boone Thigpen of Rogers, and Jackson McIntyre of Montgomery Academy each finished 4-over 76 to lead that division. However, not all players completed their rounds Monday.
