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By Ben Walls
RICHMOND — Shooting 6-under-par 66 on Tuesday, David Zhang from Blacksburg leads the 31st VSGA Junior Match Play Championship field after day one at Willow Oaks Country Club.
After Tuesday’s first round, the field was cut to the low 60 players and ties for Wednesday’s second round of stroke play. The top 16 players after Wednesday’s round will advance to match play on Thursday. The round of 16 and quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday, with the semifinals and 18-hole championship match set for Friday.
“I feel pretty good, especially considering yesterday and this morning,” Zhang said. “I really didn’t think I was going to hit that well.
“I just went out there and trusted my game, and I guess it worked today.”
Zhang, a recent 2022 VSGA scholarship recipient, birdied four holes on the back nine to take his lead. When asked about what it takes to be the next Match Play Champion, Zhang mentioned to continue playing like he had Tuesday and to trust himself—“I just took it one shot at a time,” he added.
Despite posting an even par on the front nine, Willow Oaks member Garrett Kuhla finished closely behind Zhang a 5-under. Kuhla credits his birdie looks at 10 and 12 as confidence boosters while finishing the round.
“Obviously, since this is my home course, shooting 67—I’m really happy about that,” Kuhla said with a smile. “I had given myself some good looks, and, honestly it felt like another round of golf out there, like a normal day out here. It felt really good.
“I was just trying to hit it to the middle of the green, just trying to give myself decent looks at birdies, not going too much into ‘attack mode.’ The goal is to make birdies, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Grayson Wood shot a 4-under 68 and is alone in third place.
Ryan Wheeler was among players who lead at one point Tuesday and shot 3 under and in the opening morning round. Wheeler says his putting made the difference to landing him in a seven-way tie for fourth place.
“I’m going to try to not freak out or make any mistakes (tomorrow),” Wheeler said. “(I felt good), and I’m hoping to continue for the rest of the week.”
Meanwhile, Xander Goboy, who is ranked third in the VSGA Junior Golf Circuit player rankings, finished 2 under after bogeying 15 and 16 and is tied for 11th.
“I think I just wasn’t hitting as good approach shots and putting was a bit off on the back (nine), but I figured it out towards the end,” Goboy said. “I had some bad breaks, but that’s golf.”
Walls is a P.J. Boatwright intern for the VSGA.