The Bob McLelland Metro Invitational high school golf tournament has had a recent history of go-low rounds and runaway victories.
Wednesday afternoon at Hunting Hills Country Club, it was more about simply surviving to be in contention heading into round two.
After first-round play concluded at the tricky Southwest Roanoke County layout where teams from twelve area schools spent most of the round battling the undulating Hunting Hills greens and pin placements, Hidden Valley junior Brad Williams sat atop the leader board with a 2-over-par 72.
That left Williams with a two-shot lead over Hidden Valley freshman Ross Funderburke heading into Thursday’s final round at Blue Hills.
Two-time defending champion Kristin Hearp, who blitzed Ole Monterey with a round of 62 in winning the 2013 title, and who waltzed to a 8-shot win last year, had a frustrating day with a five-over 75 that kept things interesting heading to the more friendly confines of Blue Hills.
“I hit the ball well,” Hearp said of her round that had her even par after 13 holes despite missing a pair of one-foot putts at # 7 and 10. “I just plain missed the one at seven, but I have no idea how the one came out at #10. It’s so hard to make putts out here. I was five-over on the last five holes. I’m ready to go play at Blue Hills.”
Hearp opened the door for Williams on holes 14-16 where an eight-shot swing between the Titan teammates took place.
Hearp made double-bogey 7 on the par-5 fourteenth after an errant tee shot into trees on the left side sent her back to the tee box with a lost ball. After saving par at 15, she doubled the 16th after a bad lie played havoc on her second shot.
Williams played that same stretch in eagle-birdie-birdie that surprisingly sent him to the top of the 61-player field. Only 13 players managed to break 80.
Tied for fourth and still within striking distance after rounds of 76 were Salem’s Elliott Gardner along with the Blacksburg duo of Hunter Duncan and Chris Zhang.
In the team competition, Hidden Valley heads to Blue Hills with a 15-shot lead over Blacksburg and 23-shot margin over Salem.
Bill Turner
