Republic senior Izzy Benson rallied on her final nine holes Monday to shoot 93 in the opening round of the Class 3 state tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield. She’s tied for 39th place.
Benson, making her fourth state tournament appearance, struggled early, with a 50 on her opening nine (holes 10-18). She found her rhythm on the front nine, carding a 43 that included four pars. Her day was highlighted by a birdie on the par-3 15th hole.
Sophomore Jenna Smith shot 104 in her state tournament debut, putting her in a tie for 65th place. After opening with a 54 on the back nine, Smith improved to 50 on her final nine holes. A difficult stretch on holes 16-18, where she was nine over par, impacted her opening round.
Play resumes Tuesday with Smith teeing off at 9:33 a.m. and Benson starting at 9:51.