Day 2 of golf tourney full of disappointment

By Darrell Moody

dmoody@nevadaappeal.com

SPARKS " After an opening round 73, Douglas High's Thomas Wicker knew he put himself in good position to win the 4A state golf championship.

Wicker needed a subpar round Thursday to make some noise, but he managed just a 4-over-par 76 Thursday afternoon at Red Hawk Golf Course for a two-day total of 149 and a sixth place finish.

The news wasn't as good for Carson High's Jonathan Singer, who followed up an impressive 74 with an 83 for a 36-hole total of 157.

Las Vegas' Raymond Gillip won the individual title on the first playoff hole over Spanish Springs freshman Jordan Gilmore. The pair tied at 142. Gillip won the title with a par on the 18th hole, while Gilmore had a bogey.

Wicker was unhappy with his round, which included three birdies.

"I didn't play very well," the Douglas junior said. "If I played well I could have had a shot. I felt yesterday (Wednesday) I had my A game with a few hiccups.

"I was choosing the wrong clubs at times and I had some bad lies. I just didn't play very well."

Wicker bogeyed No. 1 and then followed up with pars at Nos. 2 and 3. He got a stroke back at the 201-yard par-3 fourth when he hit a 5-iron over the water and drained a 15-foot putt. He lost another shot to par with a three-put bogey at No. 6, and would go on to drop one more shot over the last three holes on the front to finish at 2-over-par 38.

On No. 10, Wicker reached the 529-yard par-5 in two shots. He left himself 40 feet away, but managed to get down in two for a birdie. He gave the stroke back on No. 11 when his 289-yard drive landed in a fairway bunker and then his second shot sailed 10 yards over the green. He was unable to get up and down to save par.

Wicker put his tee shot on the 174-yard, par-3 12th on the left side of the green, but three-putted for a second straight bogey. He saved par with a nice chip on No. 13 and birdied No. 14 with a 12-foot putt.

Singer had high hopes for a medal after his first-round 74, but those hopes faded quickly when he played the first five holes in 7-over-par.

After a bogey-par start, Singer drove his tee shot off the fairway on the 422-yard par-4 third. He chipped out onto the fairway, but left his third shot short of the green. He chipped up and two-putted for a double-bogey.

On the 201-yard, par-3 fourth, Singer pulled his 5-iron into the water, took a drop and put his third shot on the green. He three-putted for a triple bogey. He dropped another shot to par on No. 6, on the 436-yard par-4.

Singer finished the front side with four straight pars. He played the back nine in 4-over-par.

It certainly wasn't the way Singer, the Northern 4A individual champion wanted to end his high school career.

"I haven't had a bad round like that in a long time," Singer said. "It was a disappointing last day.

"There weren't many birdie opportunities out there. I was 4-over-par on the par-3s, and I usually play them the best. It was a rough start. I'm happy with my season, though."

Singer blamed part of his early problems on alignment.

"My foot was open (too much) and that caused me to pull my shots," Singer said. "I didn't figure it out until I had played six holes."

Thanapon Iamsaard of Palo Verde made an ace on No. 17 which played 198 yards. He used a 4 iron.