The Class 5A girls golf championship turned into virtual match play between two veterans of the Arkansas junior program.
No strangers to competition, Forrest City junior Elizabeth Moon and Pulaski Academy senior Audrey Pulliam were paired together Wednesday at Hot Springs Country Club. Pulliam's bid for back-to-back state titles fell short by one stroke with Moon regaining the title, which she won in 2014 at Wynne, by one stroke.
Moon shot a 1-under-par 71 and Pulliam an even-par 72 on the Park course, third-place finisher Olivia Parker of Greenbrier posting an 82.
"I knew she was my main competitor," said Pulliam, who has verbally committed to William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
"I knew where I stood with her at all times" during the match, said Moon, who transferred this year from Wynne to Forrest City.
Moon, calling accuracy off the tee her greatest strength, made four birdies but said she "missed a lot of short putts."
Pulliam said she, too, left a few shots on the green but conceded "you can't make everything."
"I wanted back-to-back titles," Pulliam said, "but I'm pleased with myself for finishing second. I felt very confident before the match and thought I had a good chance to win."
Little Rock Christian ran off with the team championship, its top three girls posting a combined 271 -- 29 strokes better than runner-up Maumelle. The Lady Warriors' winning margin would have been seven had their second-, third- and fourth-best scores been counted.
Briahna Willis had a 86, Laura Hewitt a 92 and Abby Blankenship a 93 for Little Rock Christian, all earning all-state recognition.
Moon, Pulliam and Parker advance to the overall state tournament Oct. 15 at Little Rock's Pleasant Valley Country Club, Pulliam's home course. Other all-state honorees, based on their tournament scores, were Alexis Montgomery and Skylar Brown of Maumelle, Harrison's Lane Horn and Lakeside's Gracen Blount.
Blount had a rough front nine and shot 94, 10 shots higher than when she tied for fifth last year and the Lady Rams finished second to Maumelle by seven strokes. Arley Uldrich, Morgan Hitt and Calynn Hoover also competed for the Lady Rams, 10-time state girls golf champion.
Sports on 09/29/2016