Thompson and Wessington Springs Shine in Class B Boys Golf Tournament First Round

BROOKINGS — In the opening round of the Class B state high school boys golf tournament held at Brookings Country Club, Wessington Springs' JD Thompson emerged as a key contender, finishing with a score of 1-over-par 73. This places him just two strokes behind the leader, Gavin Colson from Sully Buttes, who recorded a 1-under 71 on the first day of play.

Thompson's performance featured two birdies on the front nine, where he shot a commendable 2-under 34. However, he faced challenges on the back nine, accumulating bogeys on four of his first six holes before salvaging his round with a birdie on the final hole, No. 18. Colson, who was the runner-up in last year’s state championship, experienced a mixed back nine, managing only one par on Hole No. 10, while recording four bogeys and four birdies in the subsequent holes.

In the standings, Thompson is tied for second place with Gettysburg's Wiley Cronin and Larz Tvedt from Wolsey-Wessington. The final group, which includes Thompson, Cronin, Tvedt, and Colson, is scheduled to tee off at 10:50 a.m. on Tuesday. Four additional golfers are tied for fifth place, each finishing the round at 2-over 74, with Bon Homme's Madden Merkwan leading this group.

As for the team competition, Wessington Springs sits in second place with a total score of 232, trailing Philip, who leads with a score of 229. Thompson's teammate, Luke Larson, is tied for 16th with a score of 77, while Tucker Thompson scored 82, putting him in a tie for 46th. Bon Homme currently holds third place with a score of 234, followed closely by Clark/Willow Lake and Hill City, who are tied at 239.

In the girls' tournament at Edgebrook Golf Course, past champions Brynn Roehrich of Clark/Willow Lake and Jayce Pugh of Miller share the lead after both shot rounds of 74. Roehrich, a two-time state champion, had an impressive start, going 4-under on the front nine but faced difficulties on the back nine. Pugh responded well to early bogeys with back-to-back birdies.

The team leaderboard shows Dell Rapids St. Mary in first place with a score of 239, just ahead of Miller at 240, while Clark/Willow Lake stands in third with 251. The competition remains fierce as players gear up for the second round.