CARMEL — Among the state’s top-100 golfers competing at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel on Friday, Mt. Vernon seniors Alaina Nugent and Meredith Johnson used their opening rounds to get settled in during the IHSAA state finals.
Nugent opened her round strong, parring two of her first three holes on the back nine while also posting a birdie, but the course’s difficult setup proved a challenge as the day progressed.
The Marauders’ team captain finished her 18-hole round at 12-over-par 84, which tied her for 38th overall with four other competitors.
Johnson wrapped up her afternoon at 28-over-par 100, which places her in a three-way tie for 85th on the leaderboard heading into today’s second, 18-hole round at state.
Both struggled in spots throughout the initial day as first-time state qualifiers, but they will have another chance to improve with each golfer scheduled to play 36 holes through both days of the event.
Johnson recorded five pars overall, including three through her first nine holes on the back nine of the course.
A stretch of four consecutive bogeys, including back-to-back doubles, put Johnson behind early. She finished 17-over-par 53 after nine holes, but the Marauder bounced back on the front at 11-over-par 47.
On the course’s front nine, she posted a pair of pars to stay within striking distance of the top-75 heading into the last day with only four strokes separating 13 golfers in total.
Nugent is four strokes from potentially breaking into the top 25. Her first nine holes were highlighted by four pars and a birdie on the 11th hole that kept her at 5-over-par 41.
She carded a 7-over-par 43 on the front nine to conclude her day, following three pars, five bogeys and a double.
Nugent will tee off today at 10:45 a.m., beginning on the 10th hole with Kankakee Valley’s Brynlee DeBoard.
Johnson is scheduled to start on the 10th hole at 10:54 a.m. with Evansville Mater Dei’s Emily Gagnon.
