- Contact us |
- Customer care |
- Subscribe |
- Advertise |
- Submit news |
- Sign in
Check It Out:
What are your favorite local places for shopping, pampering or entertaining? Vote now in this year's Best Of Holiday Shopping readers' choice poll.
Kristin Hearp shines in Bob McLelland Metro Invitational
The 15-year-old Hidden Valley sophomore rebounded at Ole Monterey with a stunning 9-under-par 62 Wednesday.
Metro Invitational
Thursday, August 15, 2013
After having to rally to post an untidy 81 in Monday’s Heritage Invitational at London Downs, Kristin Hearp was basically bewildered, bemused and baffled about her golf game.
“I was so confused,” she said “I played a round [Tuesday] and practiced a little and felt pretty good about it, but it was nothing special.”
Well, special arrived a day later.
Forty-eight hours after playing the last seven holes in 1 under to shoot 81, the 15-year-old Hidden Valley sophomore staged one of the greatest performances in Roanoke Valley high school golf history Wednesday, firing a brilliant 9-under-par 62 at Ole Monterey in the first round of the Bob McLelland Metro Invitational.
“I really don’t even have words, to be honest,” said Hearp, still literally frozen 15 minutes after posting her tournament-record score. “I came out here on the range this morning and I wasn’t hitting the ball that well.
“Then I get out there and it was just like everything came together, finally. It was just one of those rounds where I just hit it and you don’t even have to think about it. It proved that anything can happen, that’s for sure.”
Hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and never sniffing a bogey, Hearp birdied half of the 18 holes from the red tees on the 5,199-yard course and blew away her previous competitive round low of 68 in last year’s Heritage.
“Thinking back, I don’t even know if I did anything different, which is the crazy part,” the still dazed Hearp said. “I knew I was going low, but I tried not to think about the score. After nine, I was like, ‘oh, gosh, I’m 4 under!’ Then we go to [No.] 11 and I made a birdie ... and then I made another birdie and another one [on Nos. 12 and 13], and I’m like, ‘I don’t even know!’ ”
Well, wake up, girl. No matter if she lives to be 100, Hearp will likely never forget this day.
The 62, which included a back-nine score of 5-under 30, vaulted Hearp into a commanding lead on Lord Botetourt senior Lyndsey Hunnell heading into today’s final round at Blue Hills. Hunnell shot her second lowest competitive round ever — 68 — and stands six shots back in second.
When Cave Spring’s Meagan Board returned a 72, the girls stood 1-2-3 on the scoreboard until Knights teammate T.K. Garrett came in late with a 71.
Hunnell, who was paired with her close friend Hearp and William Byrd’s Dylan Carr in the first group off the tee, conceded to getting caught up in the growing frenzy of Hearp’s round.
“It was amazing, fun to watch!” Hunnell said. “When I was playing I wasn’t even worried about my score because I was just watching her.
“I’m happy for her. We were just laughing the whole time. That’s a very low, low score. A lot of PGA pros don’t shoot that regularly. But when Kristin’s game comes together she can shoot really low.”
You think?
Carr saw enough. While his two playing partners came home in 62 and 68, the Terriers’ No. 1 player needed 80 blows from the boys’ 6,304-yard tees.
“I got killed by those two,’’ Carr said. “I was shaking my head after a while. Kristin played great golf. I wanted her to keep going ... maybe 59 or something! She couldn’t miss putts. She was making everything. She kicked my rear end!”
Hearp sounded almost apologetic for taking Carr and the rest of the boys to the proverbial woodshed.
“On the par-4s, I don’t think I hit anything but a pitching wedge to the green, and it’s a different game,’’ said Hearp, who had 27 putts. “I did feel bad for [Carr] because it’s so awkward how it’s set up. You play from different yardages, you can’t really talk about golf because you don’t have the same shots.
“I know the guys do not like it when we play from the shorter [red] tees. I don’t even think it’s fair for them, honestly, because we’re part of their team and we play against them. It should be the same. But we’re also girls and they’re still guys.”
Not to mention the girls still have to put the ball in the hole, too.
“That’s strong medicine,’’ said Cave Spring’s Drew Lagan, last year’s Group AA runner-up, who settled for a disappointing 75. “Anytime you shoot 62, it’s good no matter what tees you’re playing.”
Paced by Garrett and Board, Cave Spring posted a four-player total of 16-over 300 to take a three-shot lead on Franklin County in team play. The Eagles were led by Landon Prillaman’s 73 and a 74 by Tyler Peterson. Hidden Valley stands third at 307.
1. Britney Spears spotted at Lynchburg restaurant
2. One person injured in Friday night shooting in Roanoke
3. East Carolina poses new challenge for Virginia Tech football
4. Lowe's tapes may hold clues to Roanoke woman's death
5. William Byrd stuns Salem in football win
6. Roanoke resource officer's quick action saved young girl
7. Roanoke County electrical short quiets 5 Wheeler radio stations
8. Concert review: Timeless Willie Nelson plays to appreciative crowd
9. History says this one will matter for Virginia Tech
10. Blacksburg lawyer Painter’s bond revoked
THE ROANOKE TIMES
