Author: By Brady Bingham
Park City senior Mitchell Schow brought high expectations into the first round of the 3A Boys High School Golf Championships. On Wednesday, he accomplished his first goal.
“I expected to shoot 65-65. That was my goal,” said a confident Schow, a senior at Park City High School.
Schow, who committed to play college golf for the University of Utah, took the first-round lead after posting a 7-under 65 on Soldier Hollow’s Gold Course. He tops Noah Schone, a junior from Pine View High, by one stroke.
Mitchell Schow (Fairways File Photo)
“I feel like I left a few shots out there but I can’t complain,” Schow said. “I made a few putts and my ball-striking was good. It was a good day.”
Schow birdied three of his first four holes and posted nine birdies on the round. Show said he made three or four 20-foot putts, which boosted his round. He also birdied his final hole of the day.
“I feel like every hole is a birdie hole for me out here,” said Schow, adding that he would rather win a team title, but an individual victory would be nice too. “It will be a great competition tomorrow, so we will see how it turns out.”
After both Schow and Schone bogeyed the 17th hole, Schow’s birdie at 18 put him a stroke ahead heading into Thursday’s final round.
“I got off to a great start,” Schone said. “I birdied the first hole, then chipped in for eagle on the third hole, and birdied the fourth hole. So I started really hot.”
Schone’s six birdies and one eagle, coupled with two back-nine bogeys, left him at 6-under 66. Braxton Quinn, of Tooele High School, and Austin Jaramillo, of Union High School, were tied for third at 5-under 67.
In the 3A team race, Park City topped the field with a 281. Tooele was second at 288, followed by Pine View in third at 300, and Snow Canyon in fourth at 301.
In 2A, the golfers struggled to chase par Wednesday on the Silver Course at Soldier Hollow..
Mason Ward, a sophomore at Grand County turned in the top score at 2-over 74. He leads Garret Furubayashi, of Rowland Hall, by one stroke. South Sevier’s Taylor Rowdee, Waterford’s Jack Nilsen and Layton Christian’s Juan Brigard were tied for third at 76
“I played great,” said Ward. “I hit everything where I was looking. I am very happy with my round.”
Ward’s result has his squad leading the team race in 2A. Grand County posted a first-round total of 314 and leads Rowland Hall and Manti (325) by 11 strokes. South Sevier sits alone in fourth at 326 and Waterford is at 329.
Brady Bingham is a frequent contributor to Fairways.