The start to Braedon Wear’s repeat bid as TSSAA individual state champion in Division I – Small Class golf didn’t necessarily match how he envisioned it.
But here’s the good thing: after Round 1, he hasn’t played himself out of the tournament.
The Alcoa senior shot an opening-round, 4-over 76 at WillowBrook Golf Course in Manchester, Tenn., and sits in a tie for eight place heading into Wednesday’s final round.
Braedon Wear of Alcoa waits for opponents to hit during the 2019 South College Challenge at Fox Den Country Club. (Photo: Jesse Smithey)
Consecutive bogeys on Nos. 10-13 derailed a 2-under start Monday for Wear, who’s trying to extend Alcoa’s individual state-champion streak to three years in a row. Gabe Hunter won it in 2017.
Despite a bogey at the last, Wear is only five shots back of leaders Foster Wood (Signal Mountain) and Cayden Chambers (Waverly). McMinn Central’s Bradley Dunkle (76) is tied for eighth, and Pigeon Forge’s Nate Vaughan – the 2019 5Star Preps Masters champion – is 12th (77). McMinn Central’s Josh Loveday shot 79 and is 16th.
Kingston was the lone boys golf team from the area to make this week’s field. The Yellow Jackets are in second place at 40-over 328 but 31 shots behind leader Signal Mountain. Dawson Lane led Kingston with a team-best 81.
In the girls’ competition, Cumberland Gap (32-over 176) and Pigeon Forge (178) were fifth and sixth, respectively, after Day 1. Summertown leads at 149.
Northview Academy’s Campbell Penland (81, sixth) and Pigeon Forge’s Jordan Bouyoucas (82, T7) were the only local girls players in the top 10 individually after the first round. Sophie Linder, Gordonsville, led all female competitors with a 72.
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