Through 18 holes of the 2022 SA Smith West Texas Junior Invitational, the Girls 13-18 Division looks set for a repeat champion, while the Boys 13-18 competition has brought a legendary high school rivalry to the golf course.
On the girls side, Midland’s Alexandra Escamilla looks poised to defend her title from last year.
The Lubbock Christian commit regularly fired off drives that were 20 yards past those of her competitors en route to a first-round 76.
“I played all right, I had a good start,” said Escamilla.
Although the Old Course at Odessa Country Club was set up rather long for the first round, Escamilla’s distance off the tee led to shorter approach shots in, giving her a number of looks at birdie.
She played a very consistent round, making par or better on 15 holes.
“I was hitting my driver really well, and my short game was pretty good. I had two rough holes, but I recovered well from that.”
Escamilla’s round could’ve been better, but wayward drives on holes 13 and 14 led to two double bogeys.
Those two shots didn’t shake her, however, as on No. 15, a Par 3, she hit an iron to 15 feet.
Escamilla would close her round out with four straight pars.
Her first-round effort gives her a three-shot lead over Odessa’s Rylie Rodriquez.
Despite being three shots clear of the field, Escamilla knows that there’s room to improve for tomorrow’s final round.
“I couldn’t really get any of my birdie putts going in, but I think I finally got the speed down at the end so that’ll be nice for tomorrow,” said Escamilla.
On the boy’s side, Odessa’s Chase Williams holds a one-shot lead after an opening-round 69.
Power off the tee, in addition to a hot putter, proved to be a good combo for Williams.
After making birdie on the opening hole, he would battle tough breaks throughout the front nine.
On the short Par-3 fourth hole, a gust of wind immediately following his tee shot left his ball buried in the front bunker, leading to a bogey.
Williams would finish the front nine with back-to-back bogeys, carding a two-over 38.
Unfazed, the Permian golfer would go on to fire off five birdies on the back to shoot 31 heading back to the clubhouse.
The red-hot stretch included a near chip-in from the side of No. 12, after a massive drive finished just left of the green, pin-high.
Although Williams fired off a remarkable back-nine, Midland’s Kellen Young sits just one shot being after an opening-round 70.
Young made just two bogeys in his opening round, which is tied for second-lowest in the field.
Williams and Young will be paired in Thursday’s final group.
Follow Nicholas Pursley on Twitter at @nicholaspursley
