SEQUIM – Sequim’s Zoei Zbaraschuk is in third place on her home course after the first day at the Washington Junior Golf Association District One championships Monday.
Zbaraschuk, an incoming senior at Sequim High School, shot a 7-over 79 in 18 holes at Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course in the first round of the district championships.
Classmate Ryan O’Mera, an incoming sophomore at Sequim High School, finished in the middle of the pack with an 83 in the boys 14-15 age group.
O’Mera still has a good shot at finishing in the top 11 and advancing to the state tournament.
The final 18 holes of the tournament is today with O’Mera teeing off at 10 a.m. and Zbaraschuk teeing off at 11:10 a.m. at Dungeness.
Zbaraschuk, the North Olympic Peninsula MVP girls golfer for two straight years, is one-stroke behind two other players with scores of 78 each in the 16-17 age group.
This is Zbaraschuk’s second best score of the year. She scored a 75 once during the high school season.
“My front nine was pretty good,” Zbaraschuk said about Monday’s action, played in warm and dry weather in the morning.
“My back nine I didn’t do as well.”
She shot a 2-over 39 on the front nine and finished with a 5-over 40 on the back nine.
Despite the drier weather than normal for the past several weeks, Zbaraschuk said the course played well.
“The rough is pretty thick right now but the greens are not super fast or anything.”
Zbaraschuk had two birdies during the day.
She is expecting a close battle today between the top three in her age group.
“It should be pretty close but I’m going in confident because I have played this course a lot more than the other two.
“But 18 holes is a long course. Anything can happen.”
