Dyar shares lead
- Updated: September 14, 2019
First-ever ace helps White Plains senior grab a share of the Bud Burns Dixie Junior girls lead
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
SELMA – Hanna Dyar used her first career hole-in-one to bring her back from a rough start and shoot 8-over-par 80 that gave her a share of the first-round lead in the 58thannual Bud Burns Dixie Junior Championship Saturday at Selma Country Club.
Dyar, a top 15 junior in the state, aced the 128-yard 15th hole with a 9-iron. The ball landed in the hole, jumped up the height of the flagstick and dropped straight into the cup.
It was similar the ace she almost got during the only hole she played in a washed-out second round of the Vestavia Hills high school tournament last spring. Her mother and boyfriend were in a cart near the green and witnessed Saturday’s shot.
It brought her back to 9-over for the day and she followed it with a 145-yard iron shot to two feet for a birdie on the par-4 16th. She had a couple rough holes on the front nine, but played the back in 2-under.
“It was kind of a momentum changer,” she said of the ace. “I told myself I need to have four or five birdies by the time I end the round – that’s my goal any time – and I hadn’t made any to that point.
“I hit the ball really well, but I just got off to a rough start and I think that kind of turned it around. A few seasons ago my problem was thinking of my score too much. I told myself just do what you did this past golf season and go hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot and it fell into place. Even though it’s not the score I wanted I was proud of myself for sticking with it and not giving up.”
She is tied for the lead with Riya Key of Muscle Shoals, nine shots ahead of third place Abby Gattis of Jacksonville. Gattis leads the girls 13-15 division by 11 shots.
Dyar will be looking for her fifth AJGO win in six starts this year when the tournament concludes Sunday. She’s won previously at Goose Pond, Twin Bridges, Gadsden and Gunter’s Landing. If successful, it would be her 10thAJGO win since 2015.
“I’m excited about tomorrow; hopefully I’ll have a much better round,” she said. If 80’s my worst score I’m doing something right.”
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