ST. JOHNS - Fleming Island High sophomore golfer Kathryn McNeill nearly had a career match at the Golden Eagles’ district 3-3A championship tournament held at St. Johns Golf Club with a scintillating first nine round that propelled her teammates to a strong second place team finish.
“Kathryn hit her eagle (2-under par) on the fourth hole then finished with her best ever nine score at 40,” said Fleming Island coach Brian Nedrich. “She settled in a little in the back nine but still had a good enough finishing score to finish as a strong fourth golfer for us.”
McNeill’s move from the number five slot to number four with her score was enough to secure a second place team finish for the Golden Eagles who finished behind Bartram Trail 327-339 to automatically advance as a team to the region tournament. Nease at third also advances to region.
Up top, sophomore Alyzabeth Morgan recovered from an uncharacteristic 41 opening nine to blast the back nine with three birdies to win first prize with a 37 and a 78 top score for the field. Morgan’s win was her second district title in two years with the powerful striker finishing with a 76 last year.
“She just had a bad first half of the course, but she is like ice and stayed focused to hit sensational in the final nine,” said Nedrich. “She has been in so many big tournaments in her lifetime even as just a 16-year-old that she doesn’t get shaken by a few bad shots.”
Morgan had no birdies in her first nine and was hampered by three bogies and one double bogie to make the turn in nearly 10th place.
With Fleming Island, Bartram Trail and third place Nease garnering the three team spots to advance, Oakleaf High’s Emma Farrar capped a strong regular season run with a solid 12th place finish but missed a region berth by one spot.

Carroll wins district 2-2A
Middleburg High senior Chase Carroll could have one up on older brother Cody Carroll if he gets to his fourth state golf tournament this season with Cody Carroll only playing in three, but the older Carroll has that pesky state title in his closet and Chase has yet to get one.
At the district 2-2A golf tournament held Monday at Quail Heights in Lake City, Chase Carroll sizzled the field with a one-under par 71 to win that title to advance to his region tournament.
Carroll won by four strokes over runnerup Matthew Rau of Wakulla at 75 with Suwannee’s Mason Cameron third at 76.
Orange Park’s Brock Buhnerkemper had one of his best days with a fifth place 79 with three birdies for the day. Carroll also had three birdies but only bogies two holes to maintain a strong par for most of the course.
In the team’s Clay was fourth, Middleburg fifth and Orange Park seventh. Ridgeview was eighth.
Buhnerkemper and Clay’s Jack Newell both advance as individuals.

Keystone Heights smokes
district 3-1A
Keystone Heights High boys golf hammered away at their district 3-1A golf championship with a 23 stroke win over Lafayette and 42 strokes over third place Madison County. Top three teams advance to regions with top three individuals not on those teams advancing as well.
Keystone Heights place four golfers in the top 10 finishers led by junior Alexander Addington who took second overall with a 78. Lafayette’s Trey Galbraith won at 75.
Kenneth Guy and Nick Binet both tied at 79 for Keystone Heights for third place with Ty Mitzel tied for seventh with an 87.