PINEHURST – Richmond Senior High School has its first state champion contender of the 2018-19 school year. On Monday, 48 golfers from 16 high schools competed in the 4A Eastern Regional for a trip to next week’s title match. Junior Lady Raider Hailey Miller qualified for the 4A state tournament after shooting a 90 at Pinehurst Country Club’s Course No. 1.
Joining Miller in the state championship from the Sandhills Athletic Conference are Pinecrest’s Mara Hirtle (68), Jaclyn Kenzel (72), Lorin Wagler (74), and Bailey Cooper (91); Jack Britt’s McKenzie Daffin (78), Angelique Seymour (81), and McKayla Daffin (89); Purnell Swett’s Madison Deese (87), and Hoke County’s Kiya Locklear (88).
Coming up just short of qualifying was senior Lady Raider Natalie Davis, who finished the day with a 101, eight strokes above the cutline of 93.
“I was very impressed with Natalie,” said first-year head coach Keith Parsons. “It is great to see her end a four-year career in the regional with a solid back nine. We appreciate all she has done for the golf program at Richmond.”
Miller, who actually struggled in the regional match, did just enough to survive and advance. She reached the state championship last season after shooting a 97 on Pinehurst’s No. 5 course. A repeat of that performance this year would have left Miller on the outside looking in since Apex High School’s Madison Winn was the last qualifier with a score of 93. Miller crept into the title lineup by finishing three strokes ahead of that cutoff point.
“We are ecstatic about Hailey’s effort today,” Parsons continued. “I know she isn’t happy with her score, but as I told her, qualifying was the goal today. She made it and now can focus on playing her best in the state tournament.”
Miller has clearly improved since a season ago. In 2017, she had an average nine-hole score of 47.4 heading into the state championship. This season, she is averaging exactly 43 strokes per nine-holes played, including Monday’s regional match in Pinehurst.
Probably her most impressive leap was in her performance at Pinehurst No. 5. She reduced her 2017 score by a dozen strokes when she finished with an 85 in last week’s regular season finale.
The 2018 4A state tournament will take place on Oct. 22 and 23 at Pinehurst No. 3. At the time of this story, tee times were still undetermined.
