GEORGETOWN — After placing second in the Class 6A state golf tournament the past two years, Vandegrift has a chance to secure a team championship.
Led by juniors Sydney Givens and Danica Lundgren, the Vipers are in first place after Monday’s first round of the two-day tournament at Legacy Hills Golf Club.
No Viper played better than Givens, the defending state individual champion who had just one bogey while shooting a 4-under-par 68. Lundgren put her stamp on Vandegrift’s chances by carding a 71 on a muggy afternoon.
Givens is tied for the individual lead with Lake Travis senior Kate Pickrell, who also shot a 68.
Vandegrift has a three-stroke lead over Humble Kingwood. The Woodlands is seven strokes off the lead and Lake Travis is eight strokes back.
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Coach Aaron Ford was pleased with the team’s overall success, saying teams cannot win the tournament on the first day, but they can lose it by a poor early performance.
“With a runner-up finish the last two years, that really puts some fire in your heart,” Ford said. “Our team motto this week is ‘leave no doubt.’ We’re going to try to leave it all on the course.”
Givens said she was pleased with her 68. Lundgren, meanwhile, said she could have fared better despite shooting her 71.
“I left quite a few strokes out there, missed some easy birdie putts, missed some par putts,” Lundgren said. “But 71 is OK even though I know I can do better.”
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Lundgren said she is lucky to have a teammate as good as Givens. They have a healthy rivalry.
“We have a really great relationship because we push each other and we’re really competitive,” she said. “Sydney and I try to outdrive each other. We really push each other, we’re really competitive. We’re able to separate the competitiveness from our friendship.”
As for Lake Travis, Pickrell was complemented by Emma Von Hoffmann (74), Gabby Roth (75), Audrey McIntyre (80) and Paris Dufresne (81). Pickrell made four birdies and no bogeys.”
Pickrell, bound for Abilene Christian in the fall, said Lake Travis can still make a strong bid for team honors. After having a subpar performance at state last year, she is confident she will be in the mix for the individual championship as well. She has played against Givens multiple times.
“She’s super fun to play against,” Pickrell said of Givens. “It’s not really said, but we push each other in competition.”
The shot of the day was turned in by Humble Kingwood senior Kate Hartnett, who had a hole-in-one on the 12th hole. She finished her round with a 72.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Vandegrift, Lake Travis in contention for state golf title