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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Bellarmine Takes Control Defending State Aaa Champs Lead Tournament After First Day

Dave Trimmer Staff Writer

No matter how bad things get on the 18th hole today, the clubhouse should become the Lions’ den. All five members of the Bellarmine Prep golf team survived Monday’s first round of the WIAA/U.S. Bank State AAA boys golf tournament, despite playing the 18th hole seven strokes over par, making the Lions an overwhelming favorite to defend their team title today.

Senior Brian Coury led the way with a 2-under par 74 at The Creek at Qualchan. He is tied for the lead with Eric Toomey of Snohomish, one stroke ahead of Pasco’s Ryan LaVoie.

“On the front side, I was hitting the ball really well but I missed all my putts for birdie and three-putted a couple of times,” said Coury, who finished sixth last year. “On the back nine it was the exact opposite. I hit the ball terrible and I happened to hit every putt.”

Coury birdied the second and third holes but promptly bogeyed No. 4 and 5, making the turn at even par 36.

“I think if I could have putted well, I would have shot about 68,” he said. “It was more of a confidence factor (on the backside). I was playing well, hitting it great, I should have got to the turn in 32, 33. That sort of hurts your confidence.”

Coury needed a 25-foot putt on No. 17 to salvage a bogey. With birdies on No. 13 and No. 16 he was still even but, after the bogey on 17, he dropped another shot to par on the the 484-yard par 5 18th.

Toomey, the first golfer off the tee, only missed one fairway and hit 16 greens in regulation but couldn’t get any putts to drop.

“Not knowing how to read the greens, knowing which way they broke (was hard),” he said. “They’re totally different than on the West Side. But that was my goal, make the last group today and have a chance for tomorrow.”

The 80-player field was cut to the top 40 plus ties for the second round with 45 golfers advancing. The cut was 82. This is the first time the 36-hole tournament is being played over two days.

Kyle Kelly of North Central, a pretournament favorite, shot a 5-over 77 after a triple bogey on No. 16.

“I hit a bad drive and it kind of snowballed from there,” said Kelly, who is playing on his home course.”I hit the ball real well on the front. I hit nine greens and two-putted everything.”

Kelly, a junior veteran of two previous state tournaments, including fifth last year, made the turn in 36 but bogeyed No. 10, getting to 16, a 460-yard par 5 that bends left around a pond, at one over.

“I knew 16 was a birdie hole, and I should have birdied it,” he said. “I wanted to get back to even. I didn’t want to hook it in the water off the tee and I probably tried to hit it too hard trying to make birdie. I swung too hard and lost it to the right.”

He went down a bank into the weeds and took a couple shots to get out. He then three-putted on 18.

Mead’s Brian Fong had a 76, the best round by a Greater Spokane League golfer.

A freshman, Fong made the turn at 40 with a double-bogey on No. 5 after almost hitting out-of-bounds and then going into a water hazard. He rallied with a good wedge for 12-foot birdie putt on No. 15 and another 12-foot birdie on 18.

“No three putts,” he said. “I didn’t care a whole lot, I was just glad I made it here.”

Notes: The leaders tee off last today, going out at 9:27 this morning. The first group tees off at 7:48.

What might have Lee Evans done with a little practice? The Newport senior only got in one practice round before his 77 because he is a third baseman/pitcher on the baseball team. Last fall, he qualified for the state golf tournament as the league and district medalist - the King-Co League plays fall golf.

On Saturday, he won two games as Newport qualified for the baseball final tournament Friday and Saturday in Spokane. Evans pitched three innings of shutout relief and drove in two runs in a 12-7 win over Foss. He then started and won a 10-7 decision over RogersPuyallup. For the season, he was 7-1 with a .364 batting average.

Sophomore teammate Mike Haack, a reserve on the baseball team, had a 78.

Six of nine GSL golfers made the cut… . Mead got two of three players through, Ben Holt had an 82, rallying after a 43 on the front… . University has also two players, Tim McElhinny; had a 79, Matt Johnson an 80, the same as Luke Stavros of Central Valley.

Only one of the 20 foursomes didn’t have at least one golfer make the cut and none had all four make it… . Three of four Kentwood players made it through but the best score for last year’s runnerup was 80. It takes two golfers in the final round to compete for the team title… . Just one of three plays advanced for South Kitsap, third last year.

Drew Shaub, a sophomore at Central Kitsap, was disqualified after signing an incorrect scorecard. Going over his round with his parents, he discovered an error and turned himself in. He was given a sportsmanship medal… . Ryan Perovich of Newport was also disqualified, he forgot to exchange his scorecard with another member of his foursome before the round.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Boys leaderboard First-round leaders of the State AAA boys golf tournament: Brian Coury, Bellarmine………74 Eric Toomey, Snohomish……….74 Ryan LaVoie, Pasco…………..75 Dusty Brett, Bellarmine………76 Lucas Horrobin, Oak Harbor……76 Brian Fong, Mead…………….76 John Stehlik, Prairie………..76

This sidebar appeared with the story: Boys leaderboard First-round leaders of the State AAA boys golf tournament: Brian Coury, Bellarmine………74 Eric Toomey, Snohomish……….74 Ryan LaVoie, Pasco…………..75 Dusty Brett, Bellarmine………76 Lucas Horrobin, Oak Harbor……76 Brian Fong, Mead…………….76 John Stehlik, Prairie………..76