WEST MEMPHIS -- Nothing could stop Rogers sophomore Brooke Matthews on Tuesday in the first round of the Class 7A girls state golf tournament at Meadowbrook Country Club.
Not a water hazard on a par 5.
Not even double bogeys on No. 9 and No. 18.
Matthews made up for any mistakes she may have had during her round by making five birdies on her way to an even-par 71, which left her with a two-shot lead going into today's final round. North Little Rock's Hannah Bakalekos shot a 73 and is in second place.
"I hit it pretty solid and the putts went in today," Matthews said. "I was just feeling pretty confident."
Matthews's shot on No. 18 found the trees and to a bogey, but she didn't let it rattle her.
"I got a little frustrated on No. 18 and I had to slow myself down," Matthews stated.
Matthews somehow managed to pull out a birdie on the par-5, 398-yard No. 13 after she hit her tee shot, a 3-wood, into the water. She recovered by hitting a 4-hybrid from approximately 180 yards away to within 3 feet of the pin on her next shot and then made the birdie putt.
Bakalekos is plenty familiar with Matthews. She said she struck up a friendship with Matthews last summer when both attended a golf camp at the University of Arkansas.
"She stayed next door to me, and we were paired up with each other when we played," Bakalekos said. "It's pretty neat that we're this close after the first day."
Conway freshman Casey Ott, who aced the par-3, 136-yard No. 2 hole in Monday's practice round, shot a 75 and is third going into today's final round. Fayetteville's Anna Grace Levy and Fort Smith Southside's Addison Mitchell both shot 76 and are tied for fourth.
The only other golfer to break 80 on the day was Mount St. Mary's Taylor Loeb, last year's Class 7A champion who shot a 79 on Tuesday.
Fort Smith Southside leads the team standings at 239. Bentonville and Conway are tied for second at 258, while Rogers is fourth at 259 and Fayetteville is fifth at 260.
All five Fort Smith Southside golfers broke 90 in the opening round, led by Sydney Staton's 83. Maddison Hill shot an 87 and Bentley Lager had an 88.
"This is the most consistent bunch of players I've ever had," Southside Coach Pedro Sadler said. "They're all within four or five shots of each other."
Sports on 10/01/2014