Area high school golfers take part in the 9th annual 5Star Preps Masters, presented by Brad Rose Golf, at Three Ridges Golf Course on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
Say this for Ryan Miller: he made quite the entrance into high school golf.
The freshman from Christian Academy of Knoxville, who won the 14 & under division of the Tri-Star Match Play Championship just two weeks ago on the same track, kept those feel-good juices flowing Tuesday at Three Ridges Golf Course in the opening round of the 5Star Preps Masters.
In his prep debut, he signed for a 2-under-par 70 — a clean and mature-beyond-his-years round that included 17 pars and an eagle on the par-5 12th.
Brad Rose Golf Instruction is the proud sponsor of 5Star Preps Masters. Brad has sent 100s off to play college golf, as well as instructed PGA Tour champions and U.S. Amateur champions.
Miller’s score catapulted him to the top of the 5Star Preps Masters boys’ individual leaderboard, which features roughly 100 of the area’s top talents in high school golf.
CAK’s boys team also led the 18-team event after the first round at 7-over 295.
Hardin Valley Academy, which won its first-ever TSSAA boys state golf championship last fall, positioned itself in second place heading into Wednesday’s final round. The Hawks shot a collective 14-over-302.
First Baptist Academy senior Alex Green rested in second place individually with a 71 after Day One.
Green, who helped FBA win its first-ever TSSAA state golf championship last fall, parred the first hole Tuesday and then reeled off four consecutive birdies to jumpstart his round.
Ty Abbott (Halls), Wil Huddleston (Maryville) and Andrew England (Greeneville) were tied for third at 70.
GIRLS GOLF
A season ago, the Knoxville Catholic Lady Irish came agonizingly close to winning a TSSAA Division II-AA state championship.
With the same pieces in place this fall, they’ll likely get another crack.
The Lady Irish showed that Tuesday at Three Ridges.
Teagan Walker and Linzy Johnson — both of whom are seniors — made three birdies apiece while carding rounds of 75 and 77, respectively, to put Catholic in first place at 8-over-par 152.
Walker and Johnson also occupied the Nos. 1 and 2 spots on the girls’ individual leaderboard after the opening day of play at the event.
Greeneville standouts Brylee Catron and Kamryn Renner, who each played significant roles in the Lady Greene Devils’ Division I-A state championship in 2025, fired rounds of 78 and 83, respectively, Tuesday to place Greeneville in second place at 161.
Hardin Valley Academy’s Rylee Taylor signed for a 79 and was in fourth place.
Farragut’s Harper Holmes shot 80 to get into fifth place individually heading into Wednesday’s final round.
5STAR PREPS MASTERS (2026) ROUND ONE PHOTOS, powered by Brad Rose Golf