Kropp fires 116 in opening round of state golf tourney
Polk County junior Ashley Kropp posted a score of 116 in the opening round of the state 2A/1A golf tournament at Longleaf Golf & Country Club in Southern Pines.
Kropp was the only Polk County player to qualify for the state tournament being held on the par-71, 5,621-yard layout.
Salisbury, seeking its third straight state team title, shot a 233 for the day, a whopping 34 strokes ahead of Newport Croatan and Elkin, who are tied for second at 267.
Elkin’s Annika Winebarger recorded the best individual round, a three-over par 74, one shot ahead of two-time defending champion Isabella Rusher of Salisbury. Croatan’s Leann Domitrovits and Salisbury’s Madeline Hoskins are knotted at third at 78, four shots back.
The best three scores of a team count toward the team totals, and a total of nine teams and 78 golfers are competing in the event, the 11th year that the sport has been classified. It is the third year that three separate championships have been held and the 33rd year for state championship competition in the sport.
Hendersonville (273, fifth) and Avery (284, eighth) are the only Western Highlands Conference schools competing in the team event.
Play wraps up Tuesday with the final round of the event.
