I-A GOLF: Conservative approach pays off for Faith Lutheran’s Magruder

NIPTON, Calif. — Charlie Magruder saw big numbers being posted all around him Monday.

Double bogeys here. A quadruple bogey there. He even heard that one of his teammates on the Faith Lutheran boys golf team had an 8 on one of the par 3s at Primm Valley Golf Club’s Lakes Course.

So Magruder decided to take a more conservative approach.

Magruder held it together long enough on the back nine to shoot a 4-over-par 75, and grabbed a one-shot lead after the first day of the Division I-A Southern Region tournament.

Dallas Haun of Faith Lutheran was second after a 76, while Western’s Raymond Falkenstein and Jacob Causey of Moapa Valley each shot 77.

“Having a bad hole, I would turn it into a bogey and still hit some good shots rather than just blowing up and going all out into a catastrophe hole,” Magruder said. “I really just thought about all my distances before I hit them, and I definitely thought of all my tee shots, especially what can come into play.”

Magruder had only two birdies on the day and was 3-over at the turn after a double-bogey 5 on the ninth hole. He was 4-over after a bogey on the par-4 14th hole, but closed with four straight pars.

“I’m pretty happy,” Magruder said. “Honestly, the pins were pretty tough today. And for having three three-putts … I felt like I hit it pretty well. I just have to putt a little better (Tuesday).”

Haun went out in even-par 36 before stumbling on the back nine. Causey, meanwhile, made only one birdie but parred six of his final eight holes to remain in contention.

Seven players are within four shots of Magruder, including Clark’s Arpepanya Phonsavanh, who was 2-over at the turn but had a triple bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on No. 16 on the way to a 79.

Two-time defending region champion Luke Logan of Boulder City had a 9 on the par-5 second hole and shot 79, as did Faith Lutheran’s A.J. Johnson.

Faith Lutheran finished at 402 and holds a slim lead over Boulder City (411). Pahrump Valley is third at 439.

The tournament concludes Tuesday at Wildhorse Golf Club. All three teams, along with the top five individuals from nonqualifying teams, advance to the Division I-A state tournament May 21 and 22 at Mountain Falls Golf Club in Pahrump.