For the Daily Reporter
CARMEL — New Palestine High School senior Annaliese Fox made no attempt to hide her disappointment.
After having a solid start through the first seven holes, Fox shot a 7-over par 79 to place her in a three-way tie for 17th after the first round of the Indiana High School Athletic Association Girls Golf State Finals at Prairie View Golf Course. The tournament concludes today.
“I’m very frustrated,” Fox said. “Just couldn’t hit a green in regulation.”
Fox said it wasn’t nerves or windy conditions that bothered her.
“The conditions were great, I just couldn’t hit a green,” she said.
Fox, who started on the No. 10 hole, then had a bogey on No. 17 and double-bogey on No. 18.
“It wasn’t one part of her game you could point to,” New Palestine coach Sarah O’Brien said. “It was a tough day; picking a right club into the wind was a factor.”
Greenfield-Central junior Caroline Gibson shot a 9-over 81, landing her in a five-way tie for 23rd.
“I didn’t have any expectations going into this,” Gibson said. “Once I got to that first tee box, I was nervous, and I guess that’s a good thing. It’s always good to be nervous. I’m happy with my score. I can improve on some things. I’ll come back tomorrow and do better.”
Gibson had two double-bogeys.
“It’s never good to have a double, obviously, but I was pretty consistent,” Gibson said. “I could have hit some greens. I could have hit some fairways.’
Gibson is the first girls golfer to reach the state in Cougars coach Russ Wiley’s 11 seasons.
“I’m honored to be that first person for him,” Gibson said.
Wiley said Gibson finished well with a birdie on the 18th hole.
“She had some rough holes in the middle, which is to be expected with her first time here,” Wiley said. “She fought and she didn’t give up. It (the course) is playing pretty difficult. The ball has been flying a little longer the last couple of weeks. She caught some bunkers on the fairway that went over in the practice round that didn’t go over today with the same club and same tee. She’ll just adjust and I imagine she’ll do ever better tomorrow.”
