Ferrell in second place, three shots back after first round
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MADISON — The chase is on for Allyssa Ferrell.
The Edgerton High junior fired a 74 in the opening round of the girls WIAA Division 2 state golf tournament at University Ridge here Monday.
Ferrell’s 2-over-par total left her three shots behind three-time defending state champion Lindsay Danielson of Osceola heading into today’s final round. Danielson, a University of Wisconsin recruit, tamed her future home collegiate course with a 1-under 71.
Seven-time defending champion Madison Edgewood led the Division 2 team race with a 313 total. That gave the Crusaders a 50-shot lead over Arcadia/Cochrane-Fountain City. Janesville’s C.J. Enriquez, who plays No. 3 for Edgewood, shot an opening-round 77, which included three straight birdies on the back nine.
In Division 1, Milton’s Ashton Stair birdied No. 18 to finish with a 79 and was tied for 13th. The Red Hawks’ Whitney Sockness shot an opening-round 92.
Nicolet’s Tory Bauman, the defending Division 1 champion, had a 2-under 70 and to lead Kettle Moraine’s Jackie Shepherd by four shots.
Despite posting her lowest score in three trips to the state meet, Ferrell knows she has a challenge if she’s going to deny Danielson a state-record fourth title.
“A 74 is not bad, but I’m looking for a better score tomorrow,” Ferrell said. “I don’t mind being the chaser; I’ve been the chaser before. Lindsay’s a good player, and if I play well and she still beats me, there is nothing I can do about it.”
Ferrell got off to the kind of start she had hoped to have.. She birdied four holes on the front nine, including eight and nine en route to a 1-under 35. She bogeyed three holes on the back nine to shoot 39, and blamed inconsistent putting for her higher score on the back nine.
“I made some mistakes putting, and I lost my rhythm a little bit on the back nine,” Ferrell said. “I’m a little disappointed in the 74 because I played so well on the front.
“The one thing about tomorrow is that I’ll be playing with Lindsay again. That pushes me even more because I’ll know where she’s at all the time. I just have to putt better.”
Danielson had four birdies and three bogeys. She got to 2 under twice on the back nine, but followed both birdies up with a bogey.
With the three straight titles to her credit and a vast knowledge of the course, Danielson figures to be tough to catch.
“I’m always trying to go as low as I can,” Danielson said of her goal for today. “I’m driving the ball really well right now, but a lot can happen in 18 holes.
“I like to play with good players because it only helps. Allyssa’s a good player, but hopefully, whatever I shoot tomorrow will be good enough.”
Stair made her first state trip a memorable one. The sophomore drained a 30-foot putt at the 18th to break 80. She had 40 on the front and 39 on the back in a round that featured two birdies and three double bogeys.
“My round started out a little rough, but then I started making a couple of putts and kept it going,” Stair said. “I’m pretty happy with a 79.
“And playing a practice round here really helped as far as being able to read putts today. I seemed to know how the putts where going to break on every hole.
Whitewater’s Kristi Meinel had an opening-round 91 in Division 2 and was tied for 17th.
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