PENSACOLA — On Monday, the South Walton girls golf team sent a statement.
To area teams. To the Class 2A field. But mostly to themselves, the Seahawks carding a 302 to win the prestigious, 16-team FCA High School Golf Classic at A.C. Read Golf Course in Pensacola.
Mind you this was their first 18-hold tournament since finishing fourth last year at state, but none of the rust showed. Underclassmen Lily Martin and Neely Kight carded a pair of even-par 72s to finish one stroke off the pace of top-medalist Elizabeth Palmer as the Seahawks defeated the nearest team, 3A powerhouse Niceville, by 39 strokes.
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Only six scores belonged in the 70s from the 16-team field. Four belonged to South Walton, which had a pair of 79s from seniors Ava Kight and Kazz Payne (tied for sixth) and flashed its depth with a discarded 81 from senior Vivian Harrison, who finished ninth in the 83-player field.
Last year, the Seahawks didn’t have that fifth player who could contribute. Even still, the Seahawks didn’t lose a single tournament until regionals and shot a 324-317 at state in November as University of Southern Mississippi commitment Ava Kight led the charge with a 78-75, Martin followed with 77-80, Payne with 81-84 and Harrison with 88-78.
Then the mother of all additions entered the equation this year in freshman Neely Kight, currently ranked 8th in her class in Florida and 87th in the country. In the offseason, Neely won the Alabama/Northwest Florida qualifier with rounds of 73-68, ultimately placing tied for 63rd in the 65th Junior PGA Championship with rounds of 76-80. The first tournament of her high school career she shows out with a 72.
The offseason also featured a Daily News Marvin DeBolt Classic win by Payne, who carded a 78-76 and is committed to Oglethorpe University. Again, Payne, Ava Kight and Harrison are all seniors this year and the Seahawks have four more years of Neely and three more of Martin.
This is the reason why optimism abounds for the Seahawks, who based on early returns can challenge American Heritage come November. American Heritage’s two-day total of 603 finished three strokes back of 2A state champ Beachside last year, ahead of third-place Ponte Vedra (326-310). Beachside and Ponte Vedra have since moved up to 3A.
A sub-300 round should soon become reality for the Seahawks, who after a quiet start to the season will have three matches before the prestigious Miracle Strip Invitational on Oct. 9.
“We have a very strong team this year and got off to a good start in Pensacola,” Ava Kight said. “We’re looking forward to the Miracle Strip in Fort Walton Beach.”
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: South Walton girls golf opens season with FCA HS Golf Classic win
