Local golfers positioned well after wet Day 1 at golf state championships

Jack Litzelfelner opened his high school golf career by winning the Class 3 state championship as a freshman.

The Notre Dame senior is now looking to close his prep career in the same fashion after shooting a 2-under-par 70 on Monday in the first round of the Class 3 state tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Missouri.

Litzelfelner was tied atop the leader board with defending co-medalist Michael O'Keefe of MICDS, two shots clear of Davis Soderberg of St. Charles West heading into today's second and final round.

"It poured rain all day today. It was a miserable day," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said. "I don't see how in the world those kids shot that, to tell you the truth."

Grim said Litzelfelner birdied four of his first eight holes and made the turn at 3-under par.

"He was in a zone today," Grim said.

Litzelfelner and O'Keefe are scheduled to be paired in the same group today, but the forecast calls for more rain.

"It's supposed to rain all night long and we may not get back out there," Grim said.

Notre Dame sat in sixth place in the team standings with a 330 total.

MICDS, which won the state title in 2013 and was runner-up the last two seasons, led the team standings with a 309 total, seven strokes ahead of two-time defending state champion Pembroke Hill.

The Bulldogs' first-day team score was made up by Litzelfelner, junior Jonathan Bell (83), freshman Nathan Hulshof (88) and senior Lincoln Hunter (89).

Cape Girardeau Central senior Kobe Franklin was in an eight-way tie for seventh place with an opening round of 77.

The top 15 individuals after two rounds gain all-state status.

Class 1

The Advance golf team is playing the waiting game after a rain-drenched day of golf that was halted once and finally suspended with much of the field still on the course at the par-71 Freemont Hills Country Club in Nixa, Missouri.

The tournament has been shortened to a one-round competition that will be attempted to be finished today.

All four Hornets completed their round, with senior Brian Whitson leading the way with a 4-over 75.

"We're done playing," Advance coach Neil Miles said. "Our season has been completed. We're just going to be sitting in the clubhouse waiting and see what happens."

Four of the eight teams in the team competition completed their rounds, and thus far Whitson, last year's runner-up at the state tournament, had the low score in the clubhouse, Miles said.

"Brian heard someone was 2-over after 14 holes, but we don't really know. That's all hearsay," Miles said.

Advance finished with a team score of 359, which was rounded out by sophomore Carson Miles (83), senior Spence Lorch (91) and senior Creighton Miles (110).

"It was brutal," Neil Miles said about the conditions. "It was pouring at 7 a.m. in the morning when went to practice range, and it rained until we were done at 3 p.m."

Weather permitting, Miles said play was scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. today.

Class 2

Saxony Lutheran junior Karsten Short led three Crusaders at the Class 2 competition at Sedalia Country Club in Sedalia, Missouri, with first-round 80 that had him in a tie for 19th in the individual standings.

Saxony junior Ben Daniel opened with a 96, while freshman Olivia Voelker shot 98.

Tanner Elder of Blair Oaks and Jack Parker of Father Tolton Catholic sat atop the leader board with 72s. Bishop LeBlond of St. Joseph, Missouri, led the team competition by 18 strokes with a 304.

Class 4

Jackson freshman Case Englehart opened with an 11-over 83 at the Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar, Missouri.

Englehart was tied for 45th, 11 strokes off the pace set by Noah Anderson of Battle, Kerry Maguire of Lee's Summit West and Sam Parrott of Liberty, who all carded 72. Jackson senior Hunter Ash opened with an 85 and was tied for 60th.

Poplar Bluff sophomore Nathan Woolard was tied for 14th with a 79.

Glendale High School led the team standings at 314, with Chaminade in second at 318.