It certainly looks like junior golf is reborn in Rolla.
Despite the high heat, nearly 100 golfers were entered in the 2008 Phelps County Bank Ken Lanning Jr. Golf Tournament which got underway Monday at Oak Meadow Country Club. The tournament concludes with another round today.
It was the first playing of the event under the direction of the Missouri Golf Association, and it has to be considered a huge success. Over 40 more golfers are participating this year than last.
While the MGA has made quite a few changes, the storyline has remained the same. Rolla’s Chris Martin, 17, jumped out to the first-round lead with a two-over-par 72. Martin has won this event the past two years. It is believed he would be the first three-time winner of the Lanning.
“I didn’t know that. It’s cool to know,” Martin said. “It’s exciting, but I have to take it one round at a time.”
Yes, he still has a lot of work to do. Taylor Vanzandt is tied with Martin at 72 while Dustin Blackburn and Austin Jarchow are just two strokes back at 74. Last year, Martin held a seven-shot advantage after a first-round 69, allowing him to coast to a victory.
There was plenty of excitement in Martin’s first round. He got off to a great start, birdieing three of his first six holes. He began the round on hole No. 10, hitting a wedge to 5 feet and making the putt. On hole No. 12, sank a 15-footer to get to 2-under. Hole No. 15 was the highlight of his round, as he hit his three wood from the fairway to three feet on the par-5, setting up an attempt for eagle.
“I was really excited. The pin was up on the top tier, and it’s real hard to get to. But, I got it up there luckily,” Martin said. “I had a downhill slider and two putted, but I’ll take it.”
Martin, who won the Class 4, District 5 for Rolla High School this past season, made the turn at 3-under and didn’t stop there. On hole No. 1, he sank a 12-footer for his fourth birdie of the day.
Martin, who has played in the Lanning since he was six and won his age group ever single time, finally ran into trouble on hole No. 6. He took a triple bogey. He capped off the round with a double bogey on No. 9.
“On No. 6, I pushed my drive into the trees and eventually took a triple,” Martin said. “On No. 9, I hit a what I thought was a good tee shot, but it rolled through the fairway and we didn’t find it until after I had hit another ball.”
You might have noted that it should have put him at 71, but Martin had another stroke tacked onto his score when he signed an incorrect scorecard. His scorekeeper had him for a four on hole No. 2, but he actually had a three. If he had signed for a better score, he would have been disqualified. Since he signed for a worse score, he just is stuck with the four, and thus a 72.
“I’m not worried. That stuff comes up. Sometimes doubles and triples happen,” Martin said. “I know I can play better.
“Signing an incorrect scorecard is a first for me, (but I’m not going to stress about it.)”
Lindsey Johnson is the girls overall leader. She posted a 78 and holds a two-stroke lead over Jennifer Tian. Naomi Starr is four shots back at 84. Rolla’s Belinda Choi and Brooke Giddens both had 89s.
After the first round, the MGA held a free clinic and a golf exhibition. Then there was a free barbecue for the kids.
Here are the entire results:
GIRLS
Age 6
Nicole Sullivan     62
Age 7
Olivia Sowers        50
Carley Transano     73
Rosalia Meusch    84
Age 8
Courtney Colench    64
Age 9
Taylor Black         44
Taylor Stevens         61
Ryann Rigsby        63
Age 10
Alexandra Gregory     45
Lauren Bell        62
Age 11
Jordan Stevens        63
Michaela Veik        72
Age 12-13
Megan Keck        91
Mackenzie Griffin    102
Age 14-15
Briana Choi        89
Kaitlin Jordan         102
Gina Monaldi        135
Age 16-18
Lindsey Johnson     78
Jennifer Tian        80
Naomi Starr        82
Darcy Smith         87
Brooke Giddens    89
Belinda Choi        89
Kayse Jordan         90
Rachel Newman     98
Emily Gromes         106
Courtney Lovegreen    WD
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BOYS
Age 5-6
Jeriah Jordan         62
Nathan Clingenpeel    62
Nicholas Hoven     66
Age 7
Logan Choi         41
Cody McKinney    49
Evan Stites         50
Benjamin Colench     56
Blaize Klossner     58
Ross Brady         61
Age 8
Nicholas Stimble     41
Isaac Arthur         52
Jacob Grooms        60
Age 9
Christopher Blankenship 43
Ryan McKinney     45
Brandon Clingenpeel    48
Brady Weiskopf    52
Cameron Copeland    55
Paul Weiskopf        56
Stewart Meusch    57
Matthew Tolliver     59
Age 10
Joseph Walegir        46
Blake Transano        48
Nate Bailey         48
Ben Mills         50
Sam Holmes        WD
Stephen Sowers    WD
Age 11
Cameron Elmore    35
Drew Hansen        37
Tanner Jones        46
Trae Tucker        46
Spurgeon Denver    56
Age 12-13
Donald Stimble    75
Reid Meyer        83
Joshua King        90
Mark Martin         91
Michael Steelman     93
Ian Barnes         94
Jackson Lane        95
Aaron Grant Gregory    110
David Anderson    111
Lane Stlucka         114
Marshall Woolsey    114
Kory Masek        116
Kristian Williams    124
Age 14-15
David Abolt        79
Drew Tucker        81
Mitch Brauer         83
Carter Wyrsch        87
Taylor Roberts        90
Tanner Gill        98
Allan Anderson     104
Robbie Brooks     WD
Tyler Kolb        WD
Age 16-18
Chris Martin         72
Taylor Vanzandt    72
Dustin Blackburn    74
Austin Jarchow        74
Shane Kressig        77
Andrew Folz        78
David Bailey        79
Ethan Calvert        79
Sam England         81
Michael Musso        84
Blake Kliethermes    85
Chase Delong        93
Ryan Maples        94
Cory Tomblinson    97