For some high-school golfers who played in the recent 18-hole girls qualifying competition hoping to earn a berth in the Virginia High School League’s Girls State Open tournament, much of the time was spent waiting around to learn if they advanced, especially for those finishing play earlier than others.
Only 10 golfers in the 51-player field qualified for the Open. In the case of the Oct. 17 qualifying event at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Clifton, those were the seven players with the lowest scores, plus any ties for the final spot who advanced. As it turned out, any player shooting 79 or lower earned a much sought-after Open berth.
So for those who carded 79s and had their scores posted early, which was the case for a couple of players, they hung around and waited as others finished, crossing their fingers they didn’t get bumped by a lower score.
Three players with 79s advanced. Those were the highest scores that moved on to the Open. If anyone had finished with a 78, the 79s would not have qualified. So the drama became a sweaty-palms waiting game.
For those players who posted early rounds of 71, 73 and 74, they were pretty safe and could leave knowing they were advancing. The lowest two qualifying scores in the competition were 71. There were two 73s and one 74. They were all safe. Same with the 75 and 76.
Those who carded 79s continued to wait anxiously and nervously.
Two players shot 80 and another 81 late in the afternoon. Then another golfer finished an 83. She made a disappointing nine on a closing hole. If she had just pared that hole, the player would have carded a 78, bumping those who had been waiting around with 79s.
“You play, you turn in your score, then you wait and you hope,” one of the qualifiers said. “You have no control at all.”