HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS — Lily Martin knows Los Colinas course better than anyone in the 2A state tournament field.
So on Tuesday when she bogeyed No. 10 to start her opening round, there was no panic. No nerves. No tinge of inexperience, the South Walton junior just a year removed from helping lead the Seahawks to a 2A state championsip with a 80-75 showing on the same course.
As state champs are prone to do, she responded with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 and played the next six holes 4-under-par en route to a 1-under 70 and a two-stroke lead headed into Wednesday’s second and final round.
“I’ve played this course a lot. I’ve hit every shot and know my around it,” she said. “I placed it where I wanted to and played it pretty safe, honestly. A lot of my approach shots just ended up close and if a couple of putts drop, my round’s even lower.”
Five girls are currently two strokes back of Martin, who understands it’ll take a low number to fend off the field.
“Obviously anything can happen and anyone can go low, me especially,” she said. “The goal is to win it and that’s pretty obtainable. How I played today worked and I’m going to play it the same way tomorrow.”
Committed to the University of North Florida, Martin finished the round with five birdies, two bogeys and a double on No. 17 that proved to be the lone major hiccup. But even that didn’t faze her. A clutch up-and-down for par on No. 18 finished her round, the same hole she birdied in last year’s second round in what ended up being a one-stroke team win for the 2A state championship.
Teammate Neely Kight, who shot a 78-72 last year at state to finish tied for 7th, followed with a 6-over-par 77 and enters the second round tied for 18th. As a team, the Seahawks shot a 364 and are 60 strokes back in 13th.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: South Walton’s Lily Martin shoots 1-under 70, leads FHSAA 2A state golf field by 2 strokes
Reporting by Seth Stringer, Northwest Florida Daily News / Northwest Florida Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
