It’s the sign of Jenna Smith’s competitiveness that she qualified for her first state golf tournament, then talked mostly about the need to redeem herself next week at the state tournament. Smith qualified at the district tournament at Silo Ridge Country Club in Bolivar despite struggling with her game.
“My misses were just really bad, so I got myself in a lot of trouble in that situation,” Smith said. “It was rough. I played the worst that I played all season, but it’s fine. I had good recovery shots.”
Smith’s ability to bounce back proved crucial as she navigated her challenging round. It was her mid-range putting that kept her in contention at key moments.
“I had a lot of good putts that helped me a lot, like five to seven footers that I really needed to make, and I made them,” Smith said.
Now that she’s past her district difficulty, Smith has something to look forward to.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “I’m excited to redeem myself.”
Smith will join teammate Izzy Benson at the Class 3 state tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.