HOWIE IN THE HILLS - Fleming Island High freshman golfer Sophia Moody and senior teammate Shayla Abbas are in the top 20 at the Class 2A FHSAA Golf Championships after day one has started at the Mission Inn Resort in Howie in the Hills. Fleming Island's boys team is twice state champions in past two years in Class 3A and Class 2A. Senior Tyler Mawhinney was state champion in 2023 and state runnerup in 2024. Freshman Sophia Moody is a first time state tournament golfer and was awarded an Wild Card individual ticket along with senior teammate Shayla Abbas.
After 12 holes as reported on the Wanamaker.com golf score APP that is used on the courses of high school golf, Moody is at three bogies, two birdies and eight pars up to the 12th hole on the par 71 course to be at one stroke over. Moody is presentlhy in a five way tie for sixth place in the individual scoring with three golfers tied at 1-undeer at the 12th, 11th and eighth holes.
At the ninth hole, Abbas is tied for 20th with 14 golfers with a 5-over score so far.
Abbas' score is tied with golfers on several different holes after two different start holes for the tournament.
Abbas was a 5-over 40 for the first nine holes with five bogies with a par start on the 10th for the back nine.
For the Fleming Island boys team, a dramatic move from a top 10 start to second place by just two strokes is where the Golden Eagles sit at hole 14. American Heritage (
Broward) is just two strokes up on the Golden Eagles with their top golfer, the 2024 Class 2A individual champion Sohan Patel, at a 2-under score at the 14th hole, two golfers at four over at the 12th and 13th holes, a six over and a 10 over score to 13 and 14.
At 15, sophomore Jaxson Weese of Sebastian River High, ninth last year, is leading at 15th with a 3-under score with second place at two under with Patel and Jack Mokris of Bishop Moore Catholic, 21st last year. Patel won with a 6-under score wiht Mawhinney finishing at 2-under for second followed by six senior golfers then Weese.
At 16, seniors Tyler Mawhinney and Ryan Houck are in sixth and ninth, respectively, Mawhinney at even par and Houck at 1-over par.
Fleming Island's third golfer is William McGready at 6-over at the 15th hole with senior Carson Moore at 7-over at the 15th as well creating the sudden team score shift.
Mawhinney has two bogies on the first nine holes with back to back birdies on nine and 10.
Houck opened with two birdies but had two bogies and a disastrous triple bogie (3-over par) on the seventh hole, but the seasoned veteran regrouped and hit pars and three birdies on 12, 13, and 14 to move quickly up the ranks.
McGready also opened with a birdie and three par finishes, then a second birdie before dropping three bogies. McGready lost some steam with three bogies and a double bogie to the 17th hole.
Moore opened in a tough spot with two bogies and two double bogies, but also regrouped with seven pars against one bogie to the 16th hole to also close the team gap.
The final golfer, senior Alexander Blom, had trouble right from the start after a par on his first hole was followed by five bogies and two double bogies. A par on the ninth hole finished Blom with a 44 (9-over) score. Three pars followed with two bogies to the 15th hole.
Both sets of golfers continue on Wednesday with round two of the Class 2A tournament.