Republic golfer Jenna Smith probably never wants to see Hole 9 at Sedalia Country Club again. The par five cost her 19 strokes over two days—nine over par—during the Class 4 state tournament Monday and Tuesday.
Outside of that one hole, Smith fought through tough, windy conditions, playing better than her final two-day score of 196 indicated. She opened with a 52 on her first nine holes Monday, then rebounded with a 38 over the next eight before a 10 on her final hole (Hole 9) pushed her first-round total to 100. On Day 2, she steadied herself, carding four pars and finishing with a 96—despite another nine on the same hole.
It was Smith’s second consecutive trip to state and the latest step in a season that showed steady improvement. She posted the best tournament scores of her career in the weeks leading up to her state appearance.
Before the tournament, she said she had learned to approach golf differently. “Golf is such a mental game,” she said. “I just stopped really paying attention to what I think I should be scoring, and I just started having fun.”
With two state appearances behind her, Smith will return next fall with even more experience as she looks for a third.
Get every story delivered.
Tiger Wire — Republic sports news, free every morning.