Patriots drop home opener (08/04/06)

Their was no home-course advantage for the Patriots Thursday.

The Jay County girls golf team dropped its home-opener Thursday, 224-231 to the Tri Titans at Portland Golf Club. It was their first foray into dual-meet action this season.

Even with the defeat, coach Tom Ferguson was encouraged by his team's collective attitude.

"The girls want to do good," he said. "They put pressure on themselves to score better instead of just having fun and relaxing."

Leading the Patriots was junior Trisha Champ, who shot a 5-over-par 40 one day after setting a new score record with 1-over-par, nine-hole round at the Monroe Central Invitational.

Champ started her round with a booming tee shot on the par-4 first hole, and played her second shot from about 40 yards to the green. She finished off the par on No. 1 added another on the 113-yard, par-3 second.

The highlight of her round came on the 290-yard fourth hole. After dropping to 1-over with a bogey on No. 3, she bounced back by rolling in a birdie putt to pull even.

Champ added a par on the seventh hole for her 40, giving her match medalist honors by seven strokes over Tri's Katie Stover.

Senior Miranda Denney managed a pair of pars in her round to post the No. 2 Patriot score with a 57.

Rounding out the team score for Jay County were Brittany Lewis with a 64 and Alex Bunch with a 70. Ashley Bunch shot a 72.

Junior varsity

Neither junior varsity team had enough players for a team score, but Jay County's Amy Nichols posted the top individual total with a 76. Holly Rittenhouse shot 83.[[In-content Ad]]