Southlake Carroll takes Day 1 lead
Dragons’ Kettler cards 1-under 71
Max Kettler was the lone player to score under par Friday during the opening round of the ninth annual Tiger Classic at Texarkana Country Club.
Kettler’s 1-under 71 helped Southlake Carroll take the lead in the 15-team field. The Dragons carded a 14-over 302, trailed by Highland Park in second at 18-over 306. Trinity Christian Academy of Addison is third at 313 with company right behind the Trojans.
“I thought there might be two or three (under par); the greens are really quick, pretty firm, and it’s a hard golf course,” Texas High coach Jay Brewer said. “We played it a little farther with the length today than we have int he past. That’s because it was perfect weather and the fairways were pretty firm. Saturday, I bet there are several scores under par because we’re going to play it quite a bit shorter.
“It was set up that way by design. I knew we would have the shotgun start, and I made it long today, knowing that we
would play it shorter tomorrow.”
Five players are in second in the medalist standings at a 2-over-par 74. Tied three strokes behind Kettler are Pleasant Grove’s Braxton Watkins, THS’ Zayne Madden, Highland Park’s Turner Hosch, teammate Trip Carter, and Jesuit’s Mariano Barbosa.
Byron Nelson has a team in fourth at 313 and its other team in fifth at 315. Dallas Jesuit sits sixth at 317, and Mansfield Legacy and McKinney Boyd shot 318. Argyle and Pleasant Grove are tied for ninth at 330, and the host Tigers are in 13th at 337.
“We’re a little short on experience, other than my first two guys,” Brewer said. “Any time we get it to 320 or under, it’s going to be a pretty good score for us this fall. Looking at the scores, I think we had 13 holes where we made double (bogey) or higher, and we’ve got to learn to make a bogey when we’re supposed to make a bogey and not make it bigger than that. That’s how you keep from having big scores on your card.”
Kettler eagled No. 10 and had birdies on 2 and 17. He made bogeys on 7, 14 and 15 to be even with three holes remaining.
Watkins had five bogeys, including three in a row on 3-5, with birdies on Nos. 2 and 12.
Madden carded four birdies and six bogeys for the Tigers.