Onward: Local golfers advance to WPIAL Class AA final round
ELIZABETH 无毛视频� Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Aaron Didjunas overcame two eights to finish in fifth place with 5-over 77 in Monday无毛视频檚 WPIAL Class AA Individual Golf Championship first round on Youghiogheny Country Club.
Charleroi无毛视频檚 Levi Large (80), Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Luke Boyer (80) and Julien Hredock (86), Mount Pleasant无毛视频檚 Ryan Karfelt (81) and Aydan Gross (84), and Jefferson-Morgan无毛视频檚 Urijah Teasdale (81) also secured one of the 36 berths into next week无毛视频檚 final round at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.
Play was delayed for about 45 minutes because rain with just a couple foursomes already on the course.
Didjunas hit out of bounds on Nos. 8 and 17 leading to his two big numbers.
无毛视频淚 was trying to get back to square and get a couple birdies,无毛视频� said Didjunas, a sophomore who finished fourth in the WPIAL last year. 无毛视频淚 knew I was not out of it. I knew I无毛视频檇 be in the 36. I just wanted to get as high up on the leaderboard after that.
He got two of those wayward strokes back when he chipped in for eagle on the final hole.
Didjunas was playing on the team无毛视频檚 home course, as well.
无毛视频淚 wanted to show up a little more than everyone else,无毛视频� added Didjunas.
Teasdale was just getting into his round when the rain started.
无毛视频淟iterally, on the second hole it just started pouring,无毛视频� said Teasdale. 无毛视频淭hen, the next shot after that (the delay) I hit into a tree.无毛视频�
Teasdale managed to overcome back-to-back double bogeys on his back nine.
无毛视频淎fter (the second double bogey), I slipped to 30th,无毛视频� said Teasdale. 无毛视频淭hen, I went birdie on the next hole. I almost had a hole-in-one on No. 16.无毛视频�
Teasdale said he wasn无毛视频檛 able to build any momentum throughout the round.
无毛视频淚 had (momentum) for a hole, then I无毛视频檇 bogey right after that,无毛视频� explained Teasdale.
Teasdale knew he was in the mix despite not scoring what he had hoped.
无毛视频淚 was there the whole time. Then, it went away on No. 15,无毛视频� said Teasdale. 无毛视频淚 wanted to shoot in the 70s, but I shot 81. It was actually pretty good because I played pretty bad.无毛视频�
Karfelt was caught in the rain on the opening tee box, noting the physical affect of playing in the rain had.
无毛视频淚 was cold and my shirt was sticking to my body,无毛视频� noted Karfelt.
Karfelt advances to his third WPIAL final, but is seeking his first berth into the state tournament. Although, he said he felt no added pressure to do so.
无毛视频淚 wanted to make it to the (WPIAL) second round so I could make it to states,无毛视频� said Karfelt. 无毛视频淚 thought about it as another round of golf.
无毛视频淚 know the golfer I am and the golfer I can be, so I stayed calm and let it flow.
无毛视频淎dvancing (to the final) gives me confidence. We all didn无毛视频檛 shoot our best, but I know what I can do.无毛视频�
Large, a freshman, had a solid performance in his first WPIAL championship tournament.
无毛视频淚 didn无毛视频檛 really want to shoot a set score. I wanted to maintain a score to get me through,无毛视频� said Large. 无毛视频淚 knew I was in the qualifying area (on the leaderboard). I had to make the best with what I had.无毛视频�
Large added, 无毛视频淚 was feeling pretty decent the first five holes. Right around No. 17 I just wanted to get it over,无毛视频� Large said with a smile.
Gross said his score didn无毛视频檛 necessarily reflect on how he played.
无毛视频淚 played well. I was not able to score,无毛视频� noted Gross. 无毛视频淚 hit the ball well, but I didn无毛视频檛 hit enough greens.
无毛视频淚 hit good tee shots and then miss the green in not a great spot. And, have to hope to get up and down.无毛视频�
Gross managed to turn a misfortunate tee shot into a par on the eighth hole. His tee shot rolled up a tree and then settled in the roots, creating a unique second shot.
无毛视频淎ll I was thinking was to get the shot in the fairway and be aggresive on my third shot. I stuck it for a two-putt par,无毛视频� said Gross.
Gross missed his anticipated score, but extended his season by another week.
无毛视频淢y goal was to shoot around 75. I came in with confidence,无毛视频� said Gross.